Remember me
by Fififjonka
Summary: Zack's out of town, Sephiroth's alone again and they both recall their memories. SephirothXZack friendship, no slash. Ignores Crisis Core but can be considered canon. R&R so I'll know I should continue with this. Thanks and enjoy!
1. The Edge

**Chapter one: The Edge**

"You're a monster!"

The elevator door closed, leaving only dull echo of that accusation. Sephiroth pressed the button, leaning against the side. He was used to be called like that, especially in Wutai or by Wutaian people. Somehow he understood that so he beared no grudge against the enraged diplomat. How would he like someone who devastated his country and preyed upon its people?

His time in Wutai was vicious. If Sephiroth didn't have a high opinion of life and humanity, he lost the rest of his illusions there. It wasn't about the nature of Wutaian people more like about the nature of people alone. Soon he found out the outcomes of his decisions that were irreversible. The cost of a single mistake... And like that wasn't enough, Zack kept whirling around since the first moment they met. The first person who came back after Sephiroth sent him away.

* * *

"So you live in Midgar?"

Fair was sitting on a stone near the edge of a high cliff. Their unit camped close by. Sephiroth stood in front of his tent, studying maps in the sharp day light. He didn't notice Fair's presence till the boy spoke to him. He looked up to see Fair smiling. He remembered this boy somehow more than the others. It was the hyperactive type. He saw him speak to other soldiers often, telling them jokes or funny stories, always laughing with them. But he hadn't been there for long so the war might get to him nevertheless.

"How is that your business?" Sephiroth said, not happy to be interrupted.

"Nohow... I just asked, sir."

"I believe you should find yourself a more useful thing to do, Fair, than asking me stupid questions."

Fair raised an eyebrow slightly.

"I just wanted to know if you're from Midgar because I'll be living there after the war. Maybe you could tell me something about the city... _Sir_."

"There are many things in Midgar you will find entertaining," Sephiroth said, aware of no one.

"Now let me work."

Fair gave him a bit disappointed look but Sephiroth didn't care. He really wasn't curious about another delluded idealistic young boy glued to his heels. They always asked questions like that and Sephiroth dismissed them almost instantly. And on top of that he knew about growing attached to someone in war.

"I didn't know you're such a bore..." Fair muttered while passing by him and Sephiroth blinked with surprise. Did he just insult him?

But he didn't have time to think of it. That distant wheezing... The worst thing to hear. He looked up at the sky, his fears coming true when noticing a little black dot against it.

"Bomb!"

Funny, how many things went through Sephiroth's head during those five secons. He realized it was a guided rocket, sent from a remote base somewhere. He knew the blow would have terrible intensity and would wipe their camp like an ocean wave tearing down a sandy castle. There was nothing to do to prevent it.

Sephiroth ran about ten metres and the explosion burst out behind him. He fell on the ground somewhere in forest with painful ringing in his ears. He rolled on his back, getting up. There was no camp any more but an area of fire. From its ruins he could hear the soldiers moan and scream with pain and fear.

"Help!"

"For god's sake, help me, please!"

Sephiroth looked around. He didn't see Fair anywhere. Perhaps the explosion cast him further. Soon the rest of the camp was in crossfire and Sephiroth hid behind a burned car, weighing up the situation.

"General!"

Sergeant Razaq was approaching him, limping.

"What happened?"

"A guided rocket," Sephiroth said. "How's the transmitter?"

"Dead. I've tried it."

"There was another one in my tent, in a fireproof case. Try to connect with colonel Elliot, his unit is the nearest. Warn him the enemy forces are posibbly moving in his direction. Inform the authorities. We must withdraw immediately."

"Yes, sir."

"Razaq," Sephiroth stopped him. "Have you seen Fair?"

"No, sir," Razaq said, quickly leaving him. Sephiroth returned where he saw Fair before the explosion. His body wasn't laying there. So it must have thrown him away. But where? Where was that damn boy? Most likely dead. But Sephiroth wouldn't believe it. He saw Fair as the type that just couldn't die.

Sephiroth hesitated. He was a general. A general shouldn't risk his life for the life of a mere soldier. So why? Why he couldn't bear the thought of leaving him? He almost reached the edge of the cliff. But that looked to be too far...

Firing came from behind and Sephiroth paused, aware he should go back and stop endangering himself and his soldiers. But yet he looked over the edge.

Fair was a few metres on the left, with a hundred-feet deep chasm beneath. His hold broke loose. Sephiroth quickly bowed and caught his wrist.

"Fucking shit!" Fair shouted with dread, looking up and widening his eyes. Sephiroth pulled him up, leaving him lay on the ground, breathing deeply. He gave him a few seconds before asking: "Are you all right?"

"Yeah..." Fair said in a weak voice.

"Good," Sephiroth said. "Now help me find those who survived."

* * *

The other day in the evening those who survived were safe in a neighbour camp. Elliot sent a whole regiment and the enemy was crushed. For now. Like an opposit to yesterday that evening was calm and humid with the smell of soil in the air coming through the half-opened tent door. A bird chirped nearby.

Sephiroth was filling his report in the weak light of his little lamp.

"Sergeant Razaq, sir."

"Come in."

Sephiroth straightened from his table, looking at Razaq saluting.

"At ease."

"Did you want to speak to me, sir?"

"Yes. How is Griffith?"

"He died an hour ago, sir."

So that made a total count of fifty two dead and seventeen injured, nineteen survived. Sephiroth imagined the pile of death certificates he would have to sign and have it sent to their familes. He took a sip of his coffee.

"Did you see someone manipulate the infra-red jammer?"

"No, sir," Razaq said. "Do you think someone from this camp would..."

"Who's the last to work with it?" Sephiroth asked.

"Green, sir. But he's dead."

"Is this his knife?

Sephiroth took a knife out of his desk, showing it to Razaq. He reluctantly nodded.

"Yes, sir. But that doesn't mean..."

"Someone cut the throats of the watch with this knife."

Razaq widened his eyes.

"But Green... Oh my god. And I would never suspect him... He was just eighteen years old..."

"He could have a complice. Somebody who knew about it."

Razaq thought for a while and shot Sephiroth a glare.

"I think I have a tip. I'll bring him."

"Sergeant," Sephiroth stopped him. Razaq looked at him over his shoulder.

"Why didn't you go and check if someone from the watch survived?"

Razaq blinked.

"I remember," Sephiroth continued, "I told you to go around the camp to check if someone weren't tossed further. You knew where they were and you somehow missed that out. But yet when you came you said they were dead. How could you know that?"

"But I was there..."

"You're lying," Sephiroth said, holding his anger down. "I kept watching you the whole time. You didn't go there. Why?"

"I think I just forgot... With the chaos around..."

"Or you had already knew they were dead," Sephiroth said, his words followed with silence. Razaq was shaking his head, opening his mouth to argue and justify himself but something in Sephiroth's face made him stop. A cold smile spread over his lips.

"You've god a point," he said then, quietly.

"You are not from Midgar," Sephiroth said. "You were born here, in Wutai."

Razaq nodded slowly. Sephiroth watched his arm sliding inside of his vest.

"You were the main target."

"I thought so."

"I couldn't let you continue. I couldn't just watch you murdering my people."

Razaq withdrew a gun out of his vest, aiming at Sephiroth. He yelped with pain at the same moment as a leg kicked him down. The same leg pushed his gun away and stepped on Razaq's back to keep him on the ground.

"You should have planned it better," Fair said, standing on him. Sephiroth called for two soldiers that took Razaq to be processed. Fair stayed in his tent, looking at Razaq being dragged away, shouting insults like _monster_ or _bastard_ at Sephiroth. With them gone he looked at him.

"How did you know he's in it with Green, sir?" he asked.

"He had a small scar on his hand from a tattoo removal."

"Resistance?" Fair said and Sephiroth nodded. He knew some members of resistance liked to mark themselves but it had certain disadvantages for working undercover. He saw the scar on his hand when he went to check if he called Elliot. Suspicious, he rather gave him another task to do and sent Fair to keep an eye on him.

"So... you notice such things like a miniature scar on someone's hand? Gee... That's mad. But wonderful, ha ha."

Zack pointed a finger at him.

"But I bet you don't know if I have a scar on my left or right ankle, sir."

"You have no scar on your ankles. And I don't remember I allowed you talk to me like that."

Sephiroth pierced him with his eyes and Zack apologetically waved his hands.

"By the way, Fair, did you call me a _bore_ previously?"

Fair's face changed immediately, his grin disappearing, his eyes filling with fear.

"No... I...meant someone... else, sir..."

Sephiroth almost smirked. He himself wondered why it didn't offend him more like amused him. Fair was the first person stupid or brave enough to dare to call him like that. He looked away. There was enough of Fair for one day.

"You're dismissed, Fair. Go and have a shower."

Fair relaxed, obviously puzzled for not being punished, before comprehending what Sephiroth said.

"I stink so bad?" he asked and smelled his armpits. Sephiroth took back the report he'd been working on.

"I honestly wonder Razaq didn't feel you."

"You're mean," Fair said, shaking his head slowly, a smile forming on his lips. "I love it."

He left with those words and Sephiroth caught himself stare after him. He shook his head and returned to his work. But he wasn't able to concentrate. Fifty two. Fifty two dead and he didn't even know their faces. All that was left of them were their names to write on the death certificates. And he was the target.

Sephiroth learned not to think of it like that. He used to - when he arrived - and soon realized it would ruin him. So he forbade himself to do it ever again. Yet it wasn't so simple. He kept thinking if his life really were more valuable. And how many people had already died because of him?

Somebody coughed behind him and Sephiroth turned. Fair was standing there, looking more serious than when he left.

"Yes?"

"I guess I forgot to thank you for saving my life. You didn't have to go back for me. So... thanks..."

Fair hesitatingly walked backwards, making a little bow, then turning and leaving. He was right. Sephiroth didn't have to go back for him. And he shouldn't have. But looking at him strutting and whistling, he was glad he did.

* * *

_Sorry I shifted the order of the chapters a little but I didn't know if I would continue and I see this order more fitting. It will settle soon, I promise. _

_Hope you like and thanks for the reviews, especially to The Azu Soul Lilly. Happy you liked the new title, the old one was just provisional:)) Also I'm a Czech so sorry for my mistakes, hope I don't make many but feel free to notice me. _

_**Next:** Dealing with responsibility at war is not the easiest thing to do. _


	2. Poster Hero

**Chapter two: Poster hero**

"This magazine is rubbish..." his mother muttered, frowning. Zack turned over the table and saw a picture of his superior on the front page.

"I've read an article about Sephiroth being able to speak Wutaian language at the age of five. Zack, is that even normal?"

"Mum, you could write a book about what Sephiroth could do at the age of five. And this magazine is crap."

Zack remembered reading about Sephiroth's death with Sephiroth being alive by his side, speaking to some officers. That brought his mind back to those days in Wutai, those days filled with death and pain. And in the middle of it was Sephiroth.

* * *

Zack watched him all the time in Wutai. Of course he'd been astounded to be so close to him, more like everyone. But to tell the truth Zack firstly didn't like what he saw. Sephiroth seemed pretty much the same as the magazines pictured him. A hero, but ruthless and cold. Literally - there was nothing to stop him. When negotiating he never lowered his demands. He didn't even twitch when planes started throwing down bombs following his order.

One night they were stuck in jungle with severe rain and fierce wind. It had been a week and yet they kept proceeding very slowly. Wutaians knew their jungle better than anyone. It was full of them, attacking the unit constantly and disappearing in the trees before any action could be taken.

There were several people gathered in front of Sephiroth's tent that night - two sergeants and a few lower officers. Zack was there too as the corporal but he wasn't allowed to interfere much.

"What should we do, sir?" one of the officers asked. "We can't see in the dark and we keep losing men."

Sephiroth watched the moving jungle, flashing with explosions, the ground under their feet shaking.

"If we withdrew now the loss would be more severe," he said. "Don't leave our positions. We must wait for the air force."

"But that's more than three hours," the officer said, almost pleadingly.

"I know. But they must wait."

"Colonel Elliot is still waiting for your order, sir," the transmitter operator said. Sephiroth bowed above the map, marking a particular spot with his gloved finger.

"Elliot is here, coming from the north."

"If he goes across this river, he will avoid the narrow pass in the mountains. It's dangerous there, loose stones, chasms... And this area was checked clean," sergeant Matthews said.

Sephiroth thought for a while and looked up.

"We stick to the original plan."

"Yes, sir."

That decision surprised everybody, including Zack. Going through that pass was like hovering between two skyscrapers on a rope. His thoughts were interrupted when a soldier came running from the jungle. He collapsed in front of Sephiroth, breathing deeply.

"What happened?"

"Captain Phillips, sir..." the soldier was gazing at him with horror in his eyes.

"He didn't see in the dark and... accidentally targeted a village..."

Zack widened his eyes and a wave of terror washed over him. Suddenly he felt sick. He remembered the village, they passed through yesterday. He could still recall a few faces or voices...

"How many?" Sephiroth asked in a passive voice.

"We haven't found out if anyone survived yet."

"Send some medics there. As many as you can," Sephiroth said, walking back to his tent, the rest of the officers leaving too until Zack was standing there alone. He kept listening to the rumble for a few minutes, still horrified. There were about twenty people living in the village. One mistake and twenty people dead. People that had nothing to do with it. So many yet so few compared to those who died since the beginning of the war.

He didn't know exactly why his legs led him to Sephiroth's tent at the time nobody would even think of coming closer to him. There were two rooms separated with a curtain. In the first one there was his desk and stuff, his bed in the other. Zack looked behind the curtain. Sephiroth was sitting at his table, reading the map again. He felt Zack's presence and turned his head.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I wonder how long we're staying here."

"Until we know nobody from the village survived. Is that all?"

"Uh... I guess so..."

Sephiroth waited impatiently.

"Something else, Fair?" he asked, the way how he said that clearly warned Zack to rather let it be and go away.

"I just... wanted to..." Zack gulped and said aloud: "It's our fault! The village, all the dead people!"

Zack closed his eyes, overwhelmed. It was so unreal, so horrid. He felt like something heavy and sticky fell on him, something he would never be able to get rid of.

"Do you feel responsible?" Sephiroth asked and Zack nodded shortly. Sephiroth was watching him with eyes made of ice.

"You fool," he said quietly, his voice cold and bitting. He raised, slowly moving toward him.

"How is that your responsibility? Did you make the order? Did you fire the bomb? You had absolutely nothing to do with it."

Sephiroth stopped a few feet in front of him and Zack did his best not to back off.

"Do you enjoy blaming yourself? Do you enjoy the guilt? Help yourself but don't come to my tent to cry."

Sephiroth was looking him in the eyes, irritated.

"Find yourself a priest. I don't have the time to listen to your confessions."

Zack stared at him, feeling more and more angry. He kept reminding this was a general and he had no right to argue with him but still, his words made him want to scream.

"Maybe _I am_ stupid for expecting a little remorse for those people from you," Zack said then, his voice trembling with fury.

Sephiroth's eyes flashed. Zack thought he was going to hit him and he instinctively moved away.

"Get out of my tent," Sephiroth whispered then, the threat in his tone making Zack's hair stand up. He shot him one last glare before turning on his heel and marching into the night.

He went to his tent, laying over his cot. He was so upset his stomach hurt. He never thought Sephiroth was a joyful, always happy person and a Samaritan in one, but he also didn't think he was a heartless bastard. That he'd just proved. Twenty villagers dead and he didn't care at all. And when he came to him horrified, he mocked him, insulted him, called him a fool and cast him away.

Zack kicked the side of the tent, making the whole construction swing. Then, suddenly, he stopped, staring into the darkness. The pain in his stomach doubled. Zack groaned.

"Oh shit... shit, shit, shit..."

He got up, reluctantly. There wasn't a way how to avoid this other than leaving the camp or ignore it forever and making an idiot out of himself till the end of days. And he had one more reason to go back. He hadn't been trying to get closer to Sephiroth to leave it all in ruins like that. Just for a moment of his stupidity. Like when he called him a bore... Zack shook his head. That moment still sent shivers down his spine. Did he loose his mind that day? Fortunately Sephiroth was in such a good mood he didn't kill him. He could consider himself lucky.

Zack found himself in front of Sephiroth's tent. He breathed deeply and walked inside.

Sephiroth was still in his chair. His hand was laying on the map, the other hand supporting his head. His eyes were closed. He stiffened with the sound of Zack's steps, opening his eyes quickly and looking at him. Zack swallowed, encouraging himself all the time not to run away.

"I'm sorry," he said simply. Sephiroth kept looking at him. Zack didn't move his eyes away, searching the green orbs for anything, anything at all. Sephiroth narrowed them slightly.

"Why do you apologize?" he asked. Zack thought he intended to humiliate him but obviously he really wanted to know.

"For being a jerk?" Zack said. "For coming to you for comfort like some adult kid?"

Zack made a couple of steps closer to Sephiroth, who didn't take his eyes off him.

"I didn't imagine it from your point of view. I still can't and I'm somehow grateful for that but... now I will remember you see things in different light. And your responsibility compared to mine is...incomparable."

Sephiroth was quiet for a long time and Zack shifted his weight, starting to get a bit nervous. Shouldn't he say something? At least let him know he heard him? Zack saw in his face the distrust, suspicions and distance so great it appeared impossible to ever get through it. He opened his mouth, thinking hard of what to tell. Then he relaxed. There wasn't much to say.

"It sucks, doesn't it?" he asked him in a calm voice. Sephiroth most probably didn't expect that question. He wasn't about to answer but there was something like an agreement in his expression before it turned back to the impassivity.

"So... am I forgiven?" Zack asked and Sephiroth nodded briefly. This sent a smile over Zack's lips. He easied, feeling relieved.

"Thanks," he said with honesty. He realized while coming back there was truth in Sephiroth's words. He really wasn't responsible for the village and there was no point in blaming himself. He was sure if he kept doing it, he would go mad.

"May I ask you an unrelated question?"

"Go on."

"Why did you send Elliot to the mountains? The area was checked clean, right?"

"Just because we checked it once doesn't mean they don't know about the river. And surely they would get the idea we were about to cross the river rather than mountains. They can't use air force in mountains."

Zack nodded.

"It _does_ make sense," he agreed.

"Thank you, that means a lot," Sephiroth said cynically. He pushed the map and reports away, rubbing his eyes. He seemed quite worn out to Zack and he was surprised he failed to see it earlier.

"Is that all you wanted to know, Fair?" Sephiroth asked without looking at him but his voice was noticeably subtler.

"Yes," Zack said, adding: "For now. And call me Zack."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. Zack thought he wasn't going to accept that. He tried it - just in case. But Sephiroth surprised him.

"As you wish, Zack," he said then. Zack gave him a soft smile.

"Goodnight, Sephiroth."

Zack didn't found out till the end of the war that Wutaians had really planned to attack the river. But the letter announcing he'd been promoted and named Sephiroth's second in command came much sooner.

* * *

_Chap two done, hope you liked._

_**Next:**__ First week back in Midgar._


	3. Audition

**Chapter three: Audition**

Zack was washing the dishes, wearing a cute floral apron. He wanted to help his mum when she made such delicious dinner. Strange, but when he was here, tiding and cleaning wasn't so difficult like in his flat. But that was probably because this was his home and he still could remember how his mother used to force him to cleaning. He felt like that child once again, wearing this apron, arms sunk in the kitchen sink.

Speaking of his flat, moving there wasn't the easiest way to do and Zack went back to the time he left for Midgar.

* * *

Zack couldn't return to his village for his things after the war's end. The contract with Shinra stated he had to start his shifts immediately after leaving Wuitai and there would be some days off later. He was placed to a Shinra barrack which - they said - was only temporary. Zack didn't understand why it looked worse than his tent in Wutai. There was one room he shared with some fat stinky man who liked to scream from his sleep and violate the bathroom every morning.

Zack hated every minute spent there but he kept his mouth shut. He was told it was temporary, (which could mean both a week or a year), and on top of that, he didn't want to make the impression of an always complaining trouble-maker.

One Sunday afternoon he was laying with eyes wide open, listening to his room-mate's snoring. Suddenly his phone rang.

"Oey?"

"Zack?"

"Sephiroth?"

Zack sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"We working?"

"No, I wanted to tell you there's the audition today. For the secretary. I thought you might be interested in it."

It took about twenty minutes to get to the main Shinra building where their office was. The sky was grey and rain was in the air. Zack frowned and put his hands into his pockets. He felt like an ant, floating on a little leaf across the ocean. Midgar was monumental indeed, monumental and freaking big. It'd been one week and Zack had already got lost six times.

And as much as he was curious about their future secretary, what followed was more like an autograph session. The attendants were usually young, attractive women with no previous experience, but longing for Sephiroth's picture or at least - his signature. For example the blond, blue eyed girl, who claimed being the very best for them.

"I can do great massages too. Can I show you? What about you, sir?"

"Who, me?" Zack said with surprise. "Sorry, lady, but only my pet monkey can massage me."

She turned at Sephiroth.

"You could use some too, sir. You look so... _tied_..."

Sephiroth closed her file.

_"Next!"_

Then there was the young girl who kept chuckling and literally couldn't produce a coherent sentence. Zack remembered her because she was laughing at every single spoken word.

"Where have you worked before?"

"Oh... ha, ha, you're asking me where I've worked before? Um... ha, ha," she covered her mouth, her cheeks getting red.

"Tell me why you want this job."

"Uh... like you couldn't tell, ha, ha," she said, sending Sephiroth an air kiss.

_"Next!"_

Zack also remembered the old fat woman with the eyes of a bulldog. Asking her to name her working experience caused a five-minute long monologue during which he almost fell asleep.

"But don't think of trying something on me," she said then, looking quite menacing with her hands clutched into fists. When the door closed behind her, Sephiroth put all the files aside, clearly annoyed.

"I didn't know it was a Sephiroth-con," Zack said with irony.

Sephiroth got up from his desk, walking across the office.

"It's just ridiculous," he uttered. "A slapstick comedy. I could also employ a chimpanzee and I'm sure it would work better."

Zack watched him stop by the window, leaning against the wall with arms crossed on his chest.

"Anyone else would be happy to be so popular," Zack said. Of course he didn't think fame was a ticket to paradise but he thought Sephiroth wasn't so pissed off by it.

Sephiroth's eyes hardened.

"It's embarrassing," he said, the tone of his voice sincere.

"Well, it's _them_ who are stupid, not you," Zack said, noticing this statement made Sephiroth feel a bit better.

"And I vote for the bulldog type. But only if you are immune to her seductive powers."

This time Sephiroth gave in a sour smirk, obviously fed up with this whole audition thing to the maximum level. Although Zack found it more humorous, he could imagine why Sephiroth did not.

"C'mon," he said in an encouraging tone. "I'm sure the ideal secretary is waiting behind the door."

"I doubt that," Sephiroth muttered. "I don't remember seeing a chimpanzee on my way here."

Zack laughed and called the next attendant in. It was a woman in her thirties with wavy, a bit untidy hair.

"Why do you want this job?" Zack asked after she named all her previous places of work.

"Um... I thought I'd try, you know. Being a secretary is awfully boring. This could be more fun."

Sephiroth, whose expression had been wry for the latest two hours, raised and eyebrow.

"Oh, and I won't try to take a picture of you," she blurted suddenly. "I already have one. That famous poster with your hair floating. It's gorgeous."

This made Zack cough to hide his laughing. He didn't dare to look at Sephiroth, though.

"I think we should give her a chance," he said then. "Don't you know that saying - keep your friends close and your mad fans closer, Seph?"

"_Mad fans?_" she repeated, sounding offended.

"_Seph?_" Sephiroth repeated, sounding suspicious. Zack started thinking of some explanation but Sephiroth didn't let him speak.

"We'll talk about that later," he said. "What was your name again?"

"Margot Dean, sir."

"You're on a probation, miss Dean. Come tomorrow at seven o'clock."

When Margot left - thanking them over and over again - Zack couldn't help himself but asked: "What's with the poster with floating hair? Did you pose for it?"

Sephiroth shot him such a glare Zack would swear it burned his eyebrows and lashes away.

"Let me guess... They took a picture of you walking on the street and added the needed effects later, right?"

Sephiroth's expression easied.

"Something like that," he said. Zack shook his head.

"That's fucked up. But these magazine people aren't real people, ya know, so it's kinda understandable."

Sephiroth snorted, looking at him thoughtfully.

"You look tired to me," he said. Zack shrugged, surprised a bit with his concern.

"Bad sleeping, I guess..."

"I didn't ask you where your apartment is," Sephiroth said and Zack laughed briefly.

"_Apartment?_ I live in the barrack across the street."

"Why?"

"Dunno... They put me there, saying it's only temporary."

"That must be a mistake," Sephiroth muttered.

"Hey, don't worry about it," Zack said. "I can deal with it myself, you know..."

When Sephiroth didn't stop giving him that sceptical look, Zack rather asked: "You up to something? Can I invite you for breakfast?"

They went to a cafeteria inside the building. Sephiroth ordered only black coffee and Zack had eggs with bacon.

"I should've told you someone watching me eat gives me hiccups," he muttered. Sephiroth moved his eyes away.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm not used to eating with somebody."

He stayed turned to the window, dim day light stressing out the paleness of his skin.

"Gee, this is probably the worst breakfast I've had."

"Use some restaurant next time," Sephiroth suggested.

"Yeah, a great opportunity to get lost again," Zack remarked. He finished his meal and took a sip of his tea, looking out of the window at the street shaded with gloomy grey.

"You were born here, right?" he asked him.

"I've been living here," Sephiroth said, almost like correcting him. Zack nodded slowly. He hated this city. At least at this moment.

"Excuse me," Sephiroth said then, "I must make a call."

He left him and Zack waited. When it was almost half an hour, he started getting suspicious. Did Sephiroth forget about him? He probably did. With all his duties, Zack slipped his mind. Well, he couldn't blame him. Maybe only a little bit.

Zack thought of him for a while. Ever since they started working together, Zack had been trying to get closer to him but it was like paddling with a straw. Sephiroth only kept repeating he was fine and dismissing all Zack's attempts to take him out. Sephiroth agreeing to go for breakfast was the greatest achievement so far. Zack himself didn't know exactly why he kept trying it over and over again. Maybe it was pointless.

Zack got up and returned home. He called his parents and assured them he was fine. That call brought his mood down even more so he caught himself sitting on his bed, staring at nothing. His room-mate came, tiddly and singing. Zack was so annoyed with him he turned away, pretending to be sleeping. He heard the bell rang, his room-mate going to open the door.

A sound of panic and suffocation followed. Zack curiously got up and walked over the door. His mate was gazing into the door with eyes wide open. Standing in the corridor was nobody else than Sephiroth.

"Hey," Zack said, surprised. "What's that about, Seph?"

"Pack your things, we're leaving" he said. Zack raised an eyebrow. He would ask him what for, but he wanted to scare his room-mate more, so he nodded and went back to his room. It was certainly some kind of a mission.

It took him only a few minutes to gather his possession while Sephiroth was waiting in the kitchen with the horribly frightened fatty.

"I'm done," Zack said, shooting his room-mate a good bye look. He was obviously convinced that was the last time he saw Zack alive because he was going to die a terrible death for calling Sephiroth "_Seph_."

His superior was on the phone with someone the whole time so Zack just followed without speaking. He led him through the building before stopping in front of a door with the number 418 written on it. Hanging the phone, he put a white card to the panel next to it and the door slid open. It was an apartment, apparently vacant. Zack was slowly putting it all together.

"It took me longer to arrange than I thought," Sephiroth said. "Shinra bureaucracy is ludicrous."

"Wait... does this mean..."

"It's your new flat," Sephiroth said, looking inside and handing him a small brochure.

"That's the door lock manual to set your own code," he explained.

"So I can stay here?"

"No, you can live here," Sephiroth said. "Unless you want to stay in that barrack."

"You think I'm gonna leave that mighty castle? Are you mad?" Zack said with irony, but he couldn't hide his happiness. Sephiroth nodded once. Something was obviously bothering him.

"What's that?" Zack asked.

"You should have told me," Sephiroth said then. "It was an administrative mistake."

"Nah... didn't want to complain and bother you," Zack said. "So I made an idiot out of myself instead."

"You better tell me next time," Sephiroth said. "To avoid it."

"I will," Zack promised.

"Good," Sephiroth said. "We'll see each other tomorrow."

"Wait... Why didn't you just call me?" Zack asked, curious.

"I wanted to take care of this myself," Sephiroth said and Zack smiled.

"I appreciate it... Where's your apartment?"

"One floor above you. The room 556."

"OK..." Zack said. The fact he knew at least one person's address somehow relieved him.

"I'm not sure if I find my way to the office," he said jokingly, but he meant it because it seemed like five miles of walking through countless corridors and doors.

"I can pick you up in the morning," Sephiroth said.

"Thanks, Seph," he said with gratitude. "You mind me calling you like that? I can stop, ya know. And call you boss. Or bossy."

Sephiroth hesitated for awhile but then he shook his head with a small smirk on his thin lips.

"As long as you don't spread this idea around."

"Oh, don't worry. I think my fat roomie turned mute."

* * *

Chap three done. Hope you liked it:-)

**Next:** Christmas fic:-)


	4. Plan B

**Chapter four: Plan B**

Sephiroth entered his apartment, weary and tired. He left it at 4:30 am to an early training and hadn't got back till 02:15. As he wasn't the kind of a man who would get back home and fall to bed instantly, he made a cup of tea and settled on the sofa, letting out a long sigh. On his way in he picked the mail that was now spread on his knees. Sephiroth started going through it with absolutely no interest at all.

Account statements, bank product offers, charity leaflets, a reception invitation from Heidegger that Sephiroth immediately crumpled up and threw behind, a few "fan letters" he dealt with in the same way. Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. This was no bank special offer... It was a postcard. He received his very first postcard. It was a cartoon picture of a woman wearing red bikini with the title "I wish you were her," written across her rather huge chest. Sephiroth shook his head slightly, turning the postcard over.

_Hey Seph!_

_Hope you're doing better things than sitting on your sofa in the middle of the night. I think mum's about to send you a package of some food, she doesn't trust our cafeteria (and I'm with her on that). I'll be home soon, don't work too much. You know I can always tell!_

_Zack_

Sephiroth smirked, reading the postcard twice more before putting it in the fruit bowl on the table. Looking at the fruit he thought it was actually welcomed they were pumping so much chemicals into fruit these days, otherwise it wouldn't last the month he had had it there.

It'd already been two weeks since Zack left and Sephiroth felt like it had been a year. Being so used to his loneliness he wouldn't ever believe he would miss someone. Well, he didn't miss just someone, he missed Zack.

Sephiroth took his cellphone out of his pocket, ignoring the five missed calls from the head office, Heidegger and Margot. In a fragment of second he wanted to call him but dismissed that afterwards. He didn't even know what to tell him. And embarrassing silence was the last thing he wanted.

He leaned back, closing his eyes, taking a sip of tea. He didn't know why he recalled the latest Christmas. Memory of that day was still vivid. It was the Christmas Eve but Sephiroth wouldn't notice because they were buried in papework just like any other day. There were some documents that needed to be finished till midnight, much to Zack's dismay.

* * *

"Seph, that's just not fair!"

"Perhaps, but a Fair will do it."

"Even if it's actually funny it won't make me happy," Zack said somewhere behind Sephiroth's back. Sephiroth didn't bother to answer and continued with his work.

"Ya know it's Christmas Eve today?" Zack asked then and Sephiroth blinked. It was? Well, it didn't change a thing for him. He had never celebrated Christmas and he wasn't about to start. He never detected the _great atmosphere_ of it. Christmas was something foreign to him, something he would maybe want to try, but when he'd been younger. Now he felt too old to care.

"Was clubbing yesterday and had a feeling this would happen..."

Sephiroth paused, something in Zack's voice was suspicious. He turned at him with a question in his eyes. Zack was grinning with pride and excitement. Which usually wasn't a good sign.

"Yes?"

"I have a great plan, Seph! Made it up yesterday, it's brilliant!"

Zack leaned forward.

"We'll flee!"

Sephiroth looked at him with scepticism.

"Somehow I don't see the _brilliant_ part of the plan..."

"No, no, no... Look, I took care of everything. We'll leave this note for Heidegger, it's bulletproof! I wrote it yesterday in the club, the best alibi. I have it somewhere... wait... here!"

Zack gave him a piece of paper and Sephiroth read it through aloud.

_"Hello Heedeagaer. We not working today._ _We going home... Today Christmas you brainless pig bastard...Hey, Stevie, that's my glass you idiot..."_

Sephiroth looked up at him.

"It must have taken you ages to write this perfect excuse."

"Shit, I thought it was better..." Zack muttered, taking the paper back. He waved his hand then.

"Doesn't matter, we're going anyway. Just leave it be, we can finish it tomorrow. Unless you're afraid of what Heidegger would do."

Sephiroth opened his mouth to calm down Zack's eagerness and assure him he didn't care about Heidegger at all but eventually changed his mind. Although he himself wouldn't know, people maybe really liked Christmas for some unknown reason and weren't fond of spending it at work.

"Right," he said then. "You can go."

Zack gave him a surprised look.

"And what about you?"

"I'll be going home soon too."

Zack hesitated for quite a long time and Sephiroth could see him thinking about something, hoping he wouldn't realize it. Finally Zack stood up, walking toward his chair.

"Don't you wanna go with me? Being alone on Christmas sucks."

Sephiroth had been alone on every Christmas in his life. He didn't know any other way.

"Why?" he said without thinking, the word just slipping his lips. Zack seemed caught off guard with this question but not for long.

"Because you're supposed to spend the time with someone. Your family or friends. It's actually quite nice, you know."

Sephiroth shook his head.

"Go and find yourself some company then."

Zack kept starring at him for a few more seconds before saying goodbye and leaving. Sephiroth returned to filling the reports. How was he supposed to remember this? It happened a month ago... Stupid Heidegger... Brainless pig...

Sephiroth stopped. He didn't know why he heard the quietness of the office so clearly all of the sudden. Did he get used to Zack's ramble so much?

_Supposed to be spent with friends or family..._

Sephiroth put the report aside, rubbing his forehead and closing his eyes. He rested his head against his palm, breathing in deeply. He would go home, if only he believed it would make him feel better. He felt this disgust over the reports, over this office, over his apartment, over all the people he worked for... He felt disgust even over himself, being so miserable to spend that _so wonderful_ Christmas alone in his office.

Sephiroth got up. He wasn't about to pity himself on no account. He never did and never would. Suddenly the phone on his desk rang and he picked it up.

"Yes?"

"Sephiroth? It's Heidegger. I need to speak to you immediately. I don't have much time, I must make a speech at the charity reception in the Golden hall. You must be there too, you're expected. Take your things and meet me outside on the parking lot. And hurry up."

"With all respect, Heidegger, I don't think - "

"You're still speaking? I said hurry up, it's important!"

Heidegger hanged the phone and left Sephiroth standing there with strange ringing in his head. He found himself being irritated to such a degree he unknowingly torn the report apart. Sephiroth put on his jacket and locked the door behind him, walking quickly toward the parking lot. His chest was tied with anger. Golden hall? It was the most luxurious part of Midgar and Shinra was holding a charity reception there? Such hypocrisy! Suck falsity! Not even the tiniest amount of money would ever get to some "people in need," he knew that already. There was no way he was going to take a part in this.

Sephiroth was already on the parking lot, looking around to see the fat silhouette. That Heideggerd was an excuse for a human being.

"Hello..." someone said softly into Sephiroth's ear. Sephiroth turned after it, meeting Zack's eyes.

"Zack?" he asked with amazement. Zack smirked.

"Sorry, Seph. I know that was mean. But it was for greater good, ya know."

"Wait... It was you on the phone?"

"Yep... Doing my Heidegger impression. I wasn't bad, was I?"

Sephiroth didn't know if he were angry, confused or amused. Zack came out of the shadows, standing beside Sephiroth's car, hands in pockets.

"This is plan B."

"Plan B?"

Sephiroth told himself to say something more clever than repeating Zack's words next time.

"Yeah..." Zack sighed. "I think you're overworked... Well, get in."

Sephiroth just stood there, bewildered a little. He quickly regained his serenity and gave Zack a look that made the other man's smile disappear.

"Before you start," Zack said, "trust me I didn't wanna play a prank on you. I just wanted to lure you out of the office, that's all."

"What for?"

"That's a surprise. C'mon, Seph, you'll like it, trust me."

Sephiroth was about to refuse it instantly. But it was like something stopped him so he stayed silent. Zack was waiting, his look pleading.

"All right," he said then, being too tired, too confused to care any more. And he had to admit, even secretly, he was also a bit curious. Zack beamed at him, opening the car's door on the driver's side.

"Do you think I'll let you drive?"

"Please, Seph! I'm a responsible driver, really! And it's part of the plan anyway."

Zack put on his beggar expression and Sephiroth rolled his eyes.

"You say people give gifts to each other on Christmas? This is mine," he said then and Zack gave him a broad smile.

"Yay!" he exclaimed. "Let's go, let's go!"

Sephiroth didn't know if Zack weren't doing it because of him but he truly was driving carefully. They were going through the long streets glimmering with Christmas lights everywhere, snowflakes falling in the rays of their headlights. There were groups of people walking slowly along the road, little children holding their parents' hands. Sephiroth was watching them with a mixture of delight and sadness.

They passed by the main square that was huge, with a colossal Christmas tree in the middle and crowds of people gathering around it. Fortunately Zack let it behind, moving away from the rush. Sephiroth felt himself relax a little bit, his headache diminishing.

"I hope you'll like this place..." Zack muttered. "One of my dates took me there."

Zack parked the car and Sephiroth realized he wouldn't mind if the ride continued. Zack led him through an empty street, snow cracking under their feet. Snowflakes were melting on Sephiroth's face and he bowed his head a little. But it wasn't cold much, he would say the temperature was around zero.

"Here we are," Zack said. They were somewhere above the city because there was a view that contained almost the whole Midgar with the shining main square.

"Sit down here," Zack said, spreading a blanket over an old bench. Sephiroth did that, not noticing the snow still falling down on him. Zack seated beside him, opening a paper box he took with himself. It was full of sweets. He handed it to Sephiroth.

"Try it. My mum made it and she's really a flawless cook. I gain ten pounds every year just because I go there for a week holiday."

Sephiroth smirked, taking a chocolate biscuit.

"Midgar can be pretty when it's dark, don't you think?" Zack asked and Sephiroth nodded.

"What would you be doing if you were home?" he asked him and Zack shrugged.

"Stuffing myself with candies just like now," he said. "And praising mum's hand-made scarf of course."

Sephiroth tried another piece of Zack's candies.

"How is it?"

"Delicious," he said to tell the truth. He took yet another piece and wondered about the anxious feeling he had in the office just a while ago. He couldn't recall it any more. Zack was saying something about his village and Sephiroth semi-listened, giving him a thoughtful look. It wasn't long ago since he scolded him for something at work. He was harsher than necessary and he knew that. Zack looked quite shaken afterwards and Sephiroth felt guilty for that. And now Zack was sitting beside him, offering him sweets and just casual talking like he forgot about it completely.

Sephiroth knew people were afraid of him and he didn't object. He was good in controlling his emotions and feelings but there were times when he just couldn't do it any more. And there was no way to control it when it happened. Zack seemed either forgiving or not caring about it. Although Sephiroth doubted both those options, he liked having Zack by his side and he never regretted his decision to name him his second-in-command. Even if he weren't able to tell him.

"Seph? Are you OK?"

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow over this genuine question.

"What? Yes, yes I am..."

For the first time he could say he didn't lie in this cliché phrase. The look at the city in dark, with all those yellow and red lights, with the great Christmas tree glowing and snowflakes slowly falling around in silence had a soothing effect on him. And Zack's presence also played some role in it.

"You've never celebrated Christmas before?" Zack asked then and Sephiroth shook his head. It was dark but he was sure there was concern in Zack's eyes.

"Do you pity me now?" he asked him with a trace of warning.

"No, I just think it's a shame," Zack answered, sounding honest.

"Is it really that wonderful?"

"Can be... For example the latest Christmas I enjoyed very much."

"Really? What did you do?"

"Well... I escaped from my work, kidnapped my friend and was watching the city at night, eating my mum's sweets. It was great."

Sephiroth gave him a look, seeing a smile spreading over Zack's face. He didn't know how to respond but Zack didn't wait for it.

"I wonder what Heidegger will do..." Zack said then, eating a big chocolate roll. "I know he's a stupid gorilla but still..."

"I wouldn't worry about that," Sephiroth said, looking in the paper box to choose another candy. "I believe I accidentally left your note on your desk."

"Whaaa...?"

Sephiroth smirked and hit Zack's back so the roll flew in the air, peacefully sinking into the snowdrift.

* * *

_Chap four done._

_**Next:**__ Zack dares to pay a visit._


	5. First visit

**Chapter five: First visit**

Zack took the longer way home after leaving the local pub and climbed the hill towering above their village. He could see the all the hills, meadows, fields and forests. He decided to stay there for awhile, at least till the beer evaporates from his head. The hill was steep and he wanted to get back to Midgar in one piece. And on top of that his feet were aching because of his damn pinching shoes.

The shoes reminded him of a day like three years ago. It could be six months after the war's end. It was the time he'd enjoyed discovering Midgar, spending every single free minute there. It didn't last long. And he also didn't know about anything worse than pinching shoes ever since. Especially with a girl who loved long walks.

* * *

Zack had his feet covered in blisters and swollen so much the only pair of shoes he was able to get in were GI plastic slippers. Still sleepy he put them on and went to the office, feeling like a limping old fossil. He imagined Sephiroth's face after seeing him. He didn't want him to know he'd been boozing yesterday and he didn't want him to have a reason for his "_you look terribly and stink_" look.

No, Zack thought. He'll be the best employee today. He'll work for the whole working time and he won't be having coffee breaks every ten minutes. And he'll be there in time!

Zack stormed into the office, standing on the door-step in a heroic pose.

"I'm here!" he exclaimed with glory.

Sephiroth was in the middle of a conversation with one of the sergeants. They both turned their heads at him, falling in silence. Zack regretted he didn't have the ability to vanish with a snap of fingers. With his eyes on the floor he went to his table and sat down, immediately starting his papework without a single word. After the sergeant left, Sephiroth asked: "Are you planning to do this often?"

Zack glared at him and grinned.

"I wanted you to see I'm an exemplary employee."

"That's why you put on those slippers?"

Zack never stopped being amazed with Sephiroth noticing every tiny little detail in a nanosecond. And although he rarely commented on Zack's visage he was looking at the slippers with certain suspicion. Zack sighed, waving his arm.

"New shoes are killing me."

He put his legs over the table. Someone knocked on the door. Zack startled, his chair slipping and he drove under the table.

Margot entered the room, looking after the bang it made but she couldn't see him so she delivered the papers for Sephiroth to sign and left. Zack crawled back on his chair, shooting Sephiroth a glare. But he could see him just stare into the papers. Sephiroth would never smile, he thought. Laughing Sephiroth was like a singing light bulb. Unthinkable. The furthest he got was quite an unpleasant smirk. A lost case.

Zack originally intended to spend the rest of the day in the office so Margot wouldn't see his slippers but he had to change his plan because he had to go with Sephiroth to greet the novices in like a minute. Those boys were supposed to become Shinra soldiers and the first thing they would see from its glory would be lieutenant Zack Fair in plastic slippers twice as big as his feet. Zack looked at them. There was no real chance they wouldn't notice.

Sephiroth suddenly appeared at his table, settling down a pair of his own leather boots.

"I'll wait outside," he said and left.

His boots were also like twice as big as Zack's, so he had to stuff them with socks and he still felt like on a boat while walking in them along the novices arranged to a row. Sephiroth was piercing them with his eyes and Zack tried to balance it with encouraging winking. Majority of the boys saw Sephiroth for the first time. In his armour and suit, with Masamune in his hand, Sephiroth could be very impressive and Zack watched the looks of adoration with both amusement and resignation.

"Sometimes I really wish to tell them the truth about their _so cool and dream-like_ job," Zack murmured.

"It would be the last time you said something," Sephiroth replied, looking at the novices. Zack saw so many different kinds of emotions there. Worries, nervosity, determination, pride, fear and admiration. But all of them were naively expecting something from that day. Naivity, that was the word.

"You're standing there for three reasons today," Sephiroth spoke to them in a distinct voice.

"First, because you came to protect your homes. Second because of your ideals and your own will. And third because you are boys that want to be soldiers. You are at the very beginning of your journey. Half of you won't reach the end. At this point you don't know what you really want. You will find that out with time. Be prepared not everybody will like what they find. When those of you who last receive confirmation of acceptance to the Shinra army, they become a part of Shinra. They become a property of Shinra. They will be treated like that and it will be honour for them. They will be the foundation stone. Today is mine. But tomorrow is yours. Good luck to all of you."

Sephiroth's profound voice died and what followed was confused silence. Boys were looking at them with puzzlement, enthusiasm or scare. Sephiroth turned and walked away. Zack stayed, trying to lift their spirit somehow, answering their questions. Then he - in his enormous boots - went back to the office to finish his work. Sephiroth had already been there, working. Zack seated himself behind his desk and looked at him.

"And you tell me this speech was completely legal."

Sephiroth didn't turn his head.

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Oh, don't you try to baffle me, I'm not _that_ stupid, Seph! You could also tell them to quit now because what they'll be given will be a giant load of shit."

Sephiroth shook his head slightly.

"Your way of formulating things is just horrible."

"Thanks. But don't try to deny you don't do this on purpose."

Sephiroth was quiet for a few seconds, stopping in his work.

"Of course I do," he said then. He finally looked at Zack.

"But do you think it has any effect at all?"

Sephiroth's expression was more than displeased.

"I could say what you suggested. I could even yell at them or directly send them away and they wouldn't do it. It's useless. I don't actually know why I keep bothering myself with it over and over again."

Zack listened to him, not sure what to say. He was also surprised a little by Sephiroth's confession.

"Hey," he said then in a cheery tone. "If you are able to change at least one's boy mind it's worth doing."

Sephiroth thought of it and then he nodded shortly, almost involuntarily.

"General?"

Margot stuck her head into the door.

"Cadet Mills is here, sir."

"Let him in," Sephiroth said, watching Mills walk into the room with caution. It was a young boy, rather slim, with determined look in his brown eyes.

"Do you know why I called you off your training, Spencer?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why?"

"Because I lied. Because I'm not Mills but Spencer..."

His voice was full of fear and excitement, stirring like in a washing machine.

"Mother wouldn't let me go, sir. She's still so frightened... afraid of everything, sir... And I wouldn't achieve anything at home, in that stupid village. So I ran away, sir."

"And faked your documentation."

Sephiroth's voice was like a knife and Spencer jerked a bit.

"You obviously fail to see what you've done. Such a thing is usually punished with six or more months of prison."

Spencer widened his eyes.

"But I will only discharge you. You'll leave today."

"What? No, sir, I'll rather take the prison. I'm not going home, I don't wanna see that place any more!"

"Your mother - "

"Not even her, she would only embarass me."

"Silence!"

Sephiroth raised his voice, anger flashing under the stillness of his green eyes. The boy shrank like a pierced balloon.

"Silence, you foolish boy," Sephiroth said, his face a mixture of resentment and disappointment.

"Your mother is in hospital. She fell of the stairs. They couldn't let you know because nobody knew you were here."

Spencer just stared at him with shock.

"Will she die?" he uttered. Sephiroth slowly nodded.

"Hurry up," he said. After Spencer left, Sephiroth was still watching the door. He soon felt Zack's eyes on him and returned to his work. They didn't even notice the heavy rain outside. It was February, so nothing unusual. Zack didn't like those evenings. There possibly wasn't a more lonely place in the whole world than Shinra's office late at night. That's why he spent those nights in clubs. When he couldn't figure out how Sephiroth spent them, he asked him and received the answer of: "At home. And stop bothering me."

That evening (spent in club) Zack wasn't able to concentrate and pay attention to one of his friends talking, telling him a story about one of his countless drunken adventures. But that was probably because he'd heard it at least five times.

His mind was coming back to Spencer and the whole event and he didn't know why but it quite ruined his party mood. He eventually left earlier, making his way back home. Sephiroth was watching him with mistrust when he found him on his door-step.

"Why are you here?" he asked. Zack shrugged.

"Dunno... Just came to see how you spend your free time."

"I'm no tourist attraction," Sephiroth said coldly.

"What? So taking my camera was a waste of time?" Zack said with exaggerated disappointment.

Sephiroth's eyes flashed and Zack quickly shook his head.

"I didn't mean it like that. It was just for fun, ya know? A joke, ha, ha, ha..."

Zack coughed while looking at Sephiroth's frozen expression and added: "Well... I just got an idea you would like some beer..."

Zack waved with two cans in front of him and grinned. Sephiroth's face stayed frozen.

"So, will you let me in or what?" Zack asked. Sephiroth was still hesitating but then he moved aside to let him through. Zack entered his flat and looked around. Sephiroth's apartment was gigantic. Damn, it was larger than their gym. Just the hall was like two living rooms, the bedroom must have been like an airport. Zack would probably bicycle from room to room. He looked into the kitchen that was absolutely clean - something new to him - but it had the amount of feeling of a furniture catalogue.

"It's really huge here," Zack said, shaking his head slowly, walking from one room to another.

"Wow, the bedroom's end vanishes over the horizon!" Zack said, putting a hand to his mouth.

"_Hello!_ Do you hear the echo?"

Zack turned. Sephiroth was watching him with arms crossed on his chest.

"Did you finish your tour?"

"Yep. Time for beer," Zack said, sitting down onto Sephiroth's monstrous sofa. Sephiroth sat down beside him, silent. Zack opened the can for him and handled it to him. Sephiroth took it and set it on the table.

"Why are you here, Zack?"

Zack raised an eyebrow.

"I just wanted to stop by, that's all."

"Do you want something?"

"Yes, peanuts. Do you have some?"

"Peanuts...? No, I don't."

Sephiroth fell into silence again and Zack figured out he hadn't been used to friendly visits, obviously.

"Hope I'm not disturbing you or anything."

During his _tour_ Zack had noticed the amounts of paperwork on Sephiroth's desk in the bedroom.

"No, I've just... No, you're not..."

Sephiroth was contemplating his beer.

"I actually never thought of you as the beer type."

"Neither did I..." Sephiroth said. Zack smiled.

"I'll take some wine next time. You know what wine is, right?"

Sephiroth shot him a glare but it was far less cold than usual.

"I know what a _wino_ is."

"Don't look at me, on the rare occasions I'm drunk it's only of my feeling of superiority."

Sephiroth snorted with a trace of amusement.

"Don't you have something sweet here?"

"I'm not - "

"Would you mind if I take a look?"

Zack got up, walking to the kitchen. He found a precious package of delicious ice cream and took it with him back.

"You surely know how to choose your ice cream," Zack said, sitting back next to him.

"You want some?"

"No, thanks," Sephiroth said. Zack started working on the ice cream, thinking. He still felt tension from Sephiroth and he wanted him to relax. There was nothing that horrible on his presence and he didn't want Sephiroth to feel this way about him. Maybe it wasn't about him, more like about having anyone present here. But he expected Sephiroth would act like this while deciding to visit him. His first unofficial visit. So now he had to deal with it somehow.

"Do you remember the Mills or Spencer that was in the office today?" he asked.

"It happened like three hours ago," Sephiroth said. "So surprisingly I do remember."

"You were quite soft on him," Zack remarked. It was true. Not that Sephiroth would be some tyrant but judging from what Zack was used to see, Sephiroth was keeping it down. Even if he weren't he wouldn't probably let him go to prison but the punishment would be more serious.

"Maybe..." Sephiroth admitted, much to Zack's surprise.

"That fool," he shook his head. "Realizing too late."

"He will at least tell her goodbye," Zack reminded him. Sephiroth nodded absently. There was a strange look in his eyes. Zack knew this was yet another proof that Sephiroth cared, in his own way. Like when he brought the boots for him, without a single word. Zack had already had his idea of what was in it this time. In the Spencer business. There were rumours about Sephiroth's origins and family and Zack was aware his parent's were either dead or unknown but what really happened he didn't know. Nobody knew because nobody dared to ask. Not even Zack. It still wasn't the right time for it, but Zack was decided to do it at some point anyway.

Zack set the ice cream on the table, stretching his legs. Then those worries came back to him.

"It's just the thing... When I saw that idiot, ya know... I got this fear something could happen to my mum. She's not young and she loves grafting... I keep thinking of it ever since he left the office."

Zack focused on the ice cream. Was it clever to tell him? Doesn't he look like a mummy's boy now, waiting for an advice and a pat on the head?

"Call her," Sephiroth said.

"She's sleeping now."

"So wake her up. Do you think she would mind?"

"But - "

"Just do it," Sephiroth said, considering this issue resolved. Zack was glaring at him for a few seconds before nodding.

"Right, I'll do it."

He made his call right away, talking to her in Sephiroth's bathroom. When he came back he found himself relieved a lot, like a heavy burden fell of his shoulders. He smiled at Sephiroth, who'd been sitting in the living room, examining his beer can.

"What did she say?" he asked him.

"That she's happy I called, if I eat enough, sleep enough, if my employer doesn't torment me too much..."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow slightly.

"To what I replied that my employer brings me fresh flowers everyday and cares for my well-being with his whole heart."

"You windbag," Sephiroth remarked, sounding amused.

"No, really, she says hello."

"Thanks..."

"No, I thank you, Seph," Zack said. "It's always good to have a friend who tells you you should call your mum."

Sephiroth gave him a small smirk.

"And it's always good to have a friend who comes to your apartment to eat your ice cream, drink his beer and call his mum."

* * *

_Chap five finished. Hope you liked it._

_**Next:**__ Sephiroth is acting weird and Zack tries to speak to him. How far is he willing to go to get him to talk?_


	6. Employee of the month

**Chapter six: Employee of the month**

On his way to a nearby village, Zack fell asleep on the train. He woke up with the loud laughter of two old ladies that shared his coupé and he also found out he'd been sleeping with his head resting on a fat woman beside him, his mouth open and snoring. He shook his head, trying to put on a smile that would show them all how he just didn't give a damn. He didn't have problem with sleeping at public places, but only if he were in a horizontal position.

Sephiroth rarely could be seen in a horizontal position. He rather rested in his armchair (during those sporadic occasions he actually did rest). Zack had a habit of trying to persuade him to lay down and Sephiroth also had a habit of ignoring him. Zack never pestered him too much, he watched the border he shouldn't cross very carefully. But he did cross it once, intentionally. And it almost cost him his life.

* * *

Sephiroth would behave strangely from time to time. Sometimes it took a few days, other time it was a week. He never cared to explain but with all his being he warned Zack not to interfere, not to ask questions. However once he'd been like that for almost three weeks and it was getting worse. He almost stopped talking, he would just walk in the office and out again in silence. He snapped at everyone who did something a bit less perfectly than he wanted to and people started tip-toeing around him.

During this time he had already managed to: damage the lock on the door when he smashed it while leaving, break an arm of a cadet who didn't concentrate enough, make Zack work until midnight on Sunday, make Zack stop wearing his favourite cologne "_Crazy Splash Attack_" with threatening to bury him in paperwork for the next decade. And he broke their coffee machine when pressing the button too hard.

Zack kept asking him what was wrong but firstly Sephiroth would dismiss it with no interest, than he stopped responding at all. It was driving Zack mad. He literally worked with this man five or six days a week, eight or nine hours a day and alone. And feeling the waves of tension coming from his superior all the time was tiring to say the least. Not mentioning it was bothering him and making him worry about him.

"What's up with you?" he asked yet once more on a lazy Monday afternoon. A few minutes ago Sephiroth made Margot cry because she lost some documents he needed. Sephiroth merely kept writing on the keyboard.

"How far are you gonna let it go?"

"Keep working," Sephiroth said quietly. The tone of his voice was purely mechanical, as he used those exact words every time Zack said something.

"Seph, you need a break or something."

"You're not my mother," Sephiroth said coldly, stopping his writing for a moment. "Stop telling me what to do."

"You've been stressed for weeks. Now you made that poor thing secretary cry only because of some stupid documents nobody cares about. It's not you."

"Silence, Zack," Sephiroth said, warning slowly building in his voice.

"C'mon, Seph, don't you see? It's your seventh cup of coffee today and you look like being ill with those black circles under your eyes. That's not normal."

"So you know what is normal now?"

"I'm not blind so I can see -"

Sephiroth looked at him and Zack swallowed what he wanted to say. His eyes were icy and piercing.

"One more word," Sephiroth said, "and I'll have you reassigned."

Zack widened his eyes with disbelief. He opened his mouth with no sound coming from it, then closed it again.

"You wouldn't do this," he uttered eventually.

"Don't try me," Sephiroth said, turning back. Zack breathed in but he noticed Sephiroth's eyes didn't move as he stared at his monitor. If Zack said something right then, he was sure Sephiroth wouldn't limit himself on words. Torn apart and upset, Zack sat down and somehow managed to get back to work.

Zack stopped speaking to him for some time since then. To tell the truth he felt offended a bit. After all they'd been through he treated him like shit. Damn, Zack would never do this to him ever. Talking to him like to some stupid office rat.

The more this situation was unchanging, the more angry Zack was about it. So he too started talking to Sephiroth only in short, curt sentences. If that were what he wanted then be it, he would have it. When he could he went home earlier so he wouldn't have to stay in his presence.

"I'm leaving town tomorrow. For a few days," Sephiroth said to him in Wednesday evening. Zack didn't hear his voice for a couple of hours. He wanted to ask where he was going but then he remembered he'd been offended.

"Uh..."

"I'll appreciate if you don't do anything while I'm gone."

"No, I won't leave this chair," Zack said wryly, pretending to be busy. He saw Sephiroth's unmoving silhouette with the corner of his eye. He looked up at him after a few minutes.

"Why are you looking like that? If I'm so stupid, get someone better to do this job."

"You don't understand," Sephiroth said.

"No, I don't. I'm a dummy, don't you know?"

Zack packed his things and quickly left the office, not fully realizing what made him so annoyed all of the sudden. He'd already planned his evening with his TV but eventually ended up sitting in the kitchen with lights off, deep in thoughts. It happened for the first time that he didn't have a clear idea of what to do. Usually his intuition would kick him but that day it looked like it betrayed him.

Zack sighed and took a sip of his beer. Why was Sephiroth such an arse sometimes?

"OK, OK," he muttered to himself and got up. Evidently he wouldn't relax before solving this thing up. So why the waiting? He wouldn't let Sephiroth leave until they make it clear. Something definitely wasn't right with him. It wasn't for no reason.

Zack was walking in a brisk pace through the corridors, avoiding the deadly slow elevators till he reached Sephiroth's apartment. After opening the door Sephiroth obviously wasn't happy to see him.

"What do you want?" he asked sharply, surely already guessing the answer.

"Just to talk to you."

"I don't think so..."

"Oh, yes..." Zack assured him, walking inside of his flat and turning at him.

"Now you're gonna tell me what the fuck is wrong with you."

Sephiroth closed the door behind him. He was wearing the same clothes he had in the office, so it was clear he'd just got back. Zack looked at the clock. Almost midnight.

"Go home," Sephiroth said, starting to sound really annoyed. Zack felt an unpleasant twist in his guts. Sephiroth was frightening in his rage. Yet Zack wasn't about to go home. If nothing else his senses told him Sephiroth clearly had been troubled by something and being pissed was just his way of dealing with it for he knew no other way. Didn't work this time, though.

"The sooner you tell me, the sooner I'll go home," Zack said, trying hard to make his voice sound calm and casual.

"Seph, don't be such a dick - "

In the next second Zack flew over the hall, smoothly landing in the kitchen under the table where he hit his head. It took some time for him to come back to his senses and get up on his feet again. Sephiroth was standing in the kitchen door, looking at him with fury pulsing in the green eyes. His whole body was shivering with it a little and Zack's heart started beating painfully fast.

"That's how you treat your guests?"

Sephiroth moved forward and Zack backed off, crashing into chairs. He moved back to the hall, hoping to have more space for escaping.

"Seph, calm down, just -"

Sephiroth grabbed him like a potato sack and threw him on the floor. Zack yelped with pain. Sephiroth was pushing him down with both his arms. Zack gulped and met the stare of his darkened eyes. He could almost physically feel his hatred, reflecting in the savage flashing of his eyes.

"Do it, hit me!" he said with anger and fear. "Or you think I'm gonna start crying?"

Sephiroth raised an arm and Zack closed his eyes, waiting for pain, loss of teeth, concussion and memory damage. Sephiroth was able to break a man's spine with one such a punch. When none of that happened Zack opened one of his eyes, cautiously looking up. Sephiroth let his arm fall by his side. His eyes were filled with a completely different type of anger.

"Idiot..." he growled. "I could have killed you."

"Bullshit, you wouldn't do it."

"How can you say that?"

"I just know," Zack said. Sephiroth narrowed his eyes.

"No, you _don't_ know!" he blurted suddenly.

"You're just walking around, annoying me with your stupid prattle. I didn't ask for your supervision."

Sephiroth squeezed his shoulder so strongly it hurt.

"How can you know what I would or wouldn't do? Even I didn't know it till the last moment."

Zack's heart was racing with fright. If Sephiroth intended to kill him, he would do it now. And considering the fact he hadn't ever seen him so upset before, it was highly possible. But Sephiroth didn't do it. His breathing was slowing down and sobriety was returning to his eyes. He let him go, taking a few steps back. He kept watching him for a few minutes, like not able to fully understand what happened.

"I'm sorry," he said finally, with distracted voice.

"That's fine," Zack said. Sephiroth was just standing there, his expression vacant. When he wasn't about to do anything, Zack said: "I'll... fix some drinks or something..."

Not waiting for an answer he went back to the kitchen. Zack opened one of the cabinets. Sephiroth had some unopened bottles of gin, whisky and saké, fortunately. Zack took it out, mixing some of his favourite drinks following his own recipe and took them with him to the living room. Sephiroth wasn't there. Zack looked in the bedroom and saw the glass door leading to the balcony being half-opened. Dark green curtains were slowly moving in the night wind.

Sephiroth was on the balcony, leaning against the railing and looking at the city beneath.

"Seph?"

Zack came closer to him.

"C'mon, Seph, don't worry about it."

Sephiroth kept staring in front of him with this empty eyes.

"Say something..." Zack muttered. "At least something..."

"Why did you do it?" he asked him then, with a noticeable hint of guilt.

"You didn't have to..."

"I wouldn't go far if I did only what I must," Zack said.

"That's not the answer," Sephiroth said. "Why did you risk so much?"

Zack thought for a while. He would like to know that himself in the first place.

"I guess... Hey, it's not like I waited to get killed but... I considered only some minor wounds."

Sephiroth was silently observing his face and Zack sighed slightly.

"Seph, I saw something was wrong with you. So I was worried. And I wanted to solve it before your leaving. Oh, and I'm not angry if you think that. I was annoying you so much I actually wonder why you didn't attack me much sooner."

"Don't play it down," Sephiroth said, shooting him a glare.

"Are you injured?"

"No, I'm fine and happy," Zack said, offering him a glass. Sephiroth took it but didn't drink from it. Zack got the idea Sephiroth perhaps didn't want him there.

"I can go..."

Sephiroth shook his head.

"No... Stay... If you want."

It sounded like Sephiroth himself didn't know if he was asking or stating.

"Sure," Zack said. "I can stay whenever you want."

Sephiroth didn't reply. There was exhaustion of many kinds written in his eyes. Zack dared to touch his arm lightly. Sephiroth turned his head at him. Zack had never seen him so devastated. It almost looked like he didn't have the strength to hide it anymore. Zack wasn't that stupid. He had an idea of what had been behind Sephiroth's weirdness recently. All his over-working, his duties and meetings... And Zack was also aware of the many personal issues he might have, although he rarely spoke of it.

"Look, Seph," Zack said softly. "I don't want you to bother with this any more. You're fine, right?"

"What?" Sephiroth asked, waking up from his unhappy thoughts. Zack smiled.

"I knew it would help you. Damn, you just needed to get really pissed off and ventilate it, ya know. The only thing to do is to find a suicide man to handle it. And that's me. No problem, happy to help."

Sephiroth was watching him with passivity.

"You're crazy," he stated with resignation.

Zack raised his glass.

"Let's drink to that!"

Sephiroth knocked with his glass against his and took a sip. His face changed into a displeased grimace.

"What is this thing, Zack? It's like concentrate of those disgusting rum pralines."

"You're just never satisfied," Zack sighed. Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, putting his glass down.

"I will order some dinner," he decided afterwards. "I think I owe it to you."

Zack was listening to Sephiroth's calm voice dictating the order and felt pleasant warmness spreading in his chest. The only thing he had to do was letting himself be almost killed. No big deal.

Sephiroth seated himself on his large sofa in the living room, breathing out slowly. Zack sat beside him, not saying a word. If Sephiroth were going to speak, it would be better not to push him into it. He was relaxing step by step, the change was almost visible as the tension from his face disappeared. Only the dark circles under his eyes were persistent.

"When are you leaving?"

"5 am."

"That's shit."

Sephiroth snorted slightly.

"Do you feel better?"

Sephiroth looked at him with deliberation. Zack was no fool to think he would start pouring his heart to him, confiding his troubles. But many things he'd already guessed. And Sephiroth didn't have to say them aloud.

"Yes," he said then, sounding frank. Zack smiled.

"Great!"

He patted Sephiroth's shoulder and the older man formed a hint of a smile on his lips.

"Zack... are you happy that I feel better because I almost killed you?"

"This sounds pretty moronic if you put it this way," Zack said. "But the answer's yes."

Sephiroth shook his head, his face calm and collected once again.

"I should propose you for the employee of the month," he muttered with sarcasm. "There's no way you wouldn't win it."

* * *

_Chap six done. Hope I didn't make Sephiroth too scary:) Hope you liked!_


	7. The Importance of Coffee Breaks

**Chapter seven - The Importance of Coffee Breaks**

Sephiroth returned home around midnight - as usual - and by looking inside of his fridge he found out majority of his food's _best-before_ date had been like a month ago and there was a small layer of mold on his yoghurt. He wondered, while scraping the yoghurt to the sink, he should pay more attention to his eating habits.

But Sephiroth hated shopping and eating in restaurants. Which somehow sentenced him to this state.

Because he knew he wasn't about to sleep soon, he decided to kill the time with paperwork. It also worked well to silence that voice... Voice that kept speaking to him when he was alone. Which was way too often during these days - with Zack gone...

No, Zack deserved that holiday and Sephiroth was glad for him. He escaped this life at least for a while. But still... being _with_ Zack was certainly better than being without him.

The stab of pain in his slumber made him lay his pen down, pressing fingers against his forehead. He wished the voice wouldn't come this time.

When the states he'd been experiencing prevented him from sleeping for two weeks, he was more or less forced to visit a psychiatrist. But it would be better if he didn't. The psychiatrist listened to him, then made a call - and Sephiroth was sure it was to some Shinra's chief scientist, Hojo perhaps - returned and suggested some herbal tea and meditation.

Sephiroth was convinced Hojo forbade that psychiatrist to take any action with him. He was the one who wanted to have absolute control.

Not mentioning medication didn't work on him much anyway. Must have been the mako in his veins.

Sephiroth rested his head against his hand. Suddenly he didn't feel like filling the stupid reports. Maybe it was time to go to bed...

_Flames... Flames were everywhere. And there was a person standing behind them. Zack? Looking at him with plea in his eyes. Sephiroth was walking toward him, raising an arm to pull him to safety. He looked down. Why was Masamune in his hand? And then he heard a cry of pain. He gazed in front of him. Zack was there with his eyes wide open, the blade of Masamune sticking out from his back._

Sephiroth literally jumped up from his chair. He was shivering slightly and felt cold sweat on his forehead. A dream? So vivid...

"Damn..."

For the first time he was glad Zack wasn't there. He wouldn't want to discuss this topic with him. Not because he wouldn't trust him, though. In a matter of fact, Zack was much more clever than it appeared. He proved that one day in the office.

* * *

That Thuesday Zack's importunity achieved the maximum possible level. He kept talking without any need for a break and Sephiroth unsuccessfully tried to focus on his work without smashing a chair against him.

He also came three hours later and his explanation was: _"Gee, I'm so sorry, Seph, but I accidentally broke my clock in sleep."_

Sephiroth told him tree times to stop talking with no real effect. To be honest, Sephiroth wasn't so angry just because of Zack. It was that morning he had found out majority of the money gained from Wutai war was invested into mako extraction and the rest to the scientific department.

Sephiroth believed some of the money would be given to Wutai to recover after the war. Especially if he were about to visit Wutai next week to discuss this matter. What was he going to tell them? _Sorry, but we no longer have the money so can we move to the buffet table, please?_

"You have _that look_ again. Really, I think you should train some less frightening expression."

"Zack," Sephiroth said, turning at him. Zack was smiling and Sephiroth sighed.

"Focus on your work."

"_Focus on your work._ Don't you have something better there?"

"Yes, I do," Sephiroth said, his anger level raising. "Shut your mouth and work."

Zack managed to be silent for a few minutes but Sephiroth saw with the corner of his eye he kept watching him. And he would speak in five, four, three, two -

"I think you bother yourself with this stuff too much, Seph. It's not healthy."

"Spare me your deductions," Sephiroth muttered.

"You act like this office and those stupid documents are essential for living. But it's just some fucking officialdom. For example today. You look like your family member died."

Zack usually didn't dare to go so far. That also depended on how far Sephiroth would allow him to go.

"I'm sorry," Zack blurted out. Sephiroth remained silent. He heard Zack really sounded guilty.

"That's fine," Sephiroth said.

They were working for about thirty minutes. Sephiroth frowned. Wasn't his typing somehow louder than other days? The screen light was so sharp... And that silence... That silence was intolerable. Although he prayed for it ever since this morning, when he finally got it he hated it. He hadn't even realized Zack's chirping kept him from thinking about what to say to the Shinra diplomats next week.

Sephiroth had to stop typing for a while because of the buzzing sound in his head. He rubbed his eyes. He was aware Zack would listen to him if he decided to share his troubles but somehow he wasn't able to bring himself to speak. To confide. He had never done it before...

"Did you hear about the money for Wuitai, promised by Shinra?"

Wait. He _did_ say it?

"Well... Sort of..." Zack said in an uncertain voice.

"They won't give them anything."

"What?" Zack exploded, papers on his desk flying in the air.

"Why?"

"More important investments were made instead."

"That fucking bastards!"

After he calmed down, he looked at him thoughtfully.

"That's why you're so pissed off today?"

"I'm not -"

Sephiroth stopped. Was it really necessary to lie to him? When he was so good in detecting his moods anyway? So Sephiroth just nodded. Answering Zack's questions honestly didn't seem so impossible as before.

There was a smile spreading over Zack's lips, different from the usual grin. Sephiroth wondered what was the cause of that.

"Are you going to tell them?"

"Yes, next week," Sephiroth said. "I don't even know how to start."

"You'll handle it, I'm sure," Zack said. "You know you have quite a position here, right? You could finally start using it a bit, hey?"

Sephiroth turned after him quickly. Zack was smirking with sparks in his eyes. Then he jumped up, walking across the office and sitting down on Sephiroth's desk. Sephiroth straightened, looking him in the eyes.

"What are you doing?" he asked slowly. Zack pushed his monitor away.

"You work way too much. Don't you wanna go on a coffee break with me?"

"You've had a coffee break ten minutes ago," Sephiroth objected.

"Well... yes, but you haven't. I'm paying."

"You're paying a cup of coffee from the coffee machine? How impressive."

"Seph..." Zack pleaded.

"It's working time."

"Nobody will find out. And Margot's gone as well."

"I'm your superior and I know that. "

Zack was silent, producing the most puppy-like face he was capable of.

"Sit down," Sephiroth said, "and work, Zack."

He knew the effect of this tone. Zack obeyed and remained quiet for the rest of the shift. When it was over Sephiroth gave him a look. The cheerfulness seemed to be gone. Well, sometimes he needed to calm down, Sephiroth thought, packing his things.

"So we're going?" he heard from above, meeting Zack's eyes.

"Where?"

"The coffee bar!" Zack reminded him and Sephiroth realized he would have to repeat the whole thing once more.

"If you're going I'll stop singing at work," Zack suggested and Sephiroth hesitated. This was a question worth consideration. When he somehow reluctantly crossed his arms on his chest, Zack's face lightened with victory.

"I haven't said yes."

"You have," Zack said and Sephiroth gave in. He didn't know if it were Zack's gift or just the technique of tiring him with persuading but whatever, it worked. Zack promised the coffee bar was stalkers-free - which Sephiroth hoped was true. While they were walking, Zack poked him.

"Cheer up, Seph."

This time Sephiroth hid his puzzlement with the way Zack was treating him. He couldn't say he would mind. It only kept surprising him. He couldn't imagine anyone who would ever poke him in such a friendly way, without fear or insane admiration.

"If you say it just one more time, I will throw you down the stairs."

"Well, if it helps you..."

It'd been about a month since the event in his apartment when Sephiroth attacked him. Although Zack claimed it was fine, Sephiroth expected it would make him turn his back on him. And he kind of wanted it for he was afraid of hurting him again. However with the passing time Zack was acting still the same, like nothing happened at all.

When they arrived in the coffee bar, Zack chose a remote box in the corner. He talked about a dog he had as a child and Sephiroth was looking out of the window, not really paying attention but listening to the never-ending stream of words. He remembered his aversion toward restaurants. This time it wasn't that bad...

"You will do it, right?"

Sephiroth turned at him.

"What?"

"You'll go to that bastard of a president and you'll tell him if he doesn't change his fucking budget plans you'll shove Masamune up his ass."

Sephiroth imagined for a moment he would actually do that and couldn't help himself but smirked with amusement.

"That approach would earn you a ticket to the gallows."

"Nah... you must put it a bit more subtly."

"Really?" Sephiroth remarked with irony. Zack nodded, playing with the menu card before asking: "Weren't you afraid when I didn't show up this morning?"

"Afraid of missing your unbelievably annoying blathering?"

Zack seemed amused.

"Maybe you could explain again why you overslept."

"I've told you my clock had broken down."

"And the final match of the season has nothing to do with that."

"No... well...Yes... Hey, how do you know that?"

Sephiroth thanked the waitress for his coffee and stirred it with a teaspoon.

"You were speaking about it the whole yesterday."

"Ha!" Zack exclaimed, making Sephiroth look up at him with the cup near his lips.

"So you _are_ paying attention to me sometimes."

"Sometimes..." Sephiroth agreed.

"Seph..." Zack said suddenly, with urge in his voice. "Can I give you an advice? I mean, I know nothing about your duties but... if you care about my opinion..."

Sephiroth gestured his hand.

"Speak."

That was what Zack was apparently waiting for. It seemed he'd been preparing those words in advance.

"Well... Look, I know you can't just screw it all," he started. "But all this worrying and stress, it's not worth it, ya know. You should care more about yourself... I hate seeing you so worried with stuff nobody else gives a shit about. The people who should actually take some action don't even know. I'm not saying you shouldn't care either but don't take it_ that_ seriously..."

Zack paused, letting Sephiroth absorb that.

"You're also just a human, ya know. And you have some rights. Like the right to go for a stupid cup of coffee with me."

Zack gave him a serious look. Sephiroth put the cup down.

"Why do you care?" he asked.

"You mean you don't know? When I see you like that in the office, I'm trying to distract you with my pestering. And since you hate it so much, it's the only way to stop it."

Sephiroth didn't know what to say for a few seconds. He wouldn't think Zack would feel like this about him... It had never crossed his mind...

_He cares so much?_

"I've never said I _hate_ your blathering..." Sephiroth said then, making Zack smile. He was pushing his cup from side to side, that particular soft smile on his face.

"Why are you smiling?"

"It's nothing," Zack said. "I'm just... I'm just glad you're here. Ya know, I didn't believe much you'd agree. Although I wouldn't give up on ya."

Sephiroth realized he was staring at him and shook his head.

"Why?" he asked simply. Why was Zack so persistent, why did he keep bothering himself with all this? Every normal person - or at least a person Sephiroth knew - would leave it be after a few tries. But not Zack.

"You crazy?" Zack asked. "I like your company... Hey, I see you don't like speaking much but... gee, I was glad when you've finally said something today. And don't make me go over that more or we'll look like some engaged couple."

Sephiroth glared down at his cup. He_ liked_ his company... Sephiroth honestly didn't know why. But at that moment he didn't even care. He also couldn't remember why he'd been against coffee breaks. They were actually quite nice.

* * *

Chap 7 done, yep. Hope you liked.

**Next:** Something from Zack's POV, including a swimming pool. Yes, they'll be in trunks, ha ha:-)


	8. Not Alone

**Chapter eight: Not Alone**

"Zack, your bath is ready!"

"Is my duck ready?"

Zack wasn't very fond of long soaking in hot water. He preferred having a quick, refreshing shower. But as he recalled, his superior was quite fond of water Maybe even more than that.

As Zack stood up, walking to the bathroom in his parent's house and smelling the "too sweet to be natural" fragrance of the bath foam, he was remembering a particular evening back in Midgar. First undeniable moment that hinted the issues his superior had were far more serious than he had imagined.

* * *

Sephiroth usually spent his Saturday evenings with swimming. It took some time for Zack to figure it out and when his sort of stalking didn't work, he dared to ask directly where he kept disappearing to every Saturday evening. Curiously enough Sephiroth told him. Although Zack didn't swim much, he found himself alone one Saturday and decided to go and see if Sephiroth weren't in the swimming pool.

Zack put on his swimming trunks and walked through the changing room, entering the pool. The access to this pool was restricted to higher ranks only and he was lucky to meet that condition.

When he looked around, he realized the pool was huge, lit with dimmed light only on the sides. Water surface was wavy, lapping against edges, revealing Sephiroth's presence. He was swimming the crawl on the other side of the pool. When he reached the end of it he always turned under the water, swimming back. Zack sat down on the bench near Sephiroth's towel, watching him. The echo of his breathing was resounding around as Zack was counting Sephiroth's pools. He was at the twentieth, shaking his head, when Sephiroth finally stopped and noticed him.

"How long are you here?" he asked, breathless.

"Hello to you too," Zack said. Sephiroth got out from the pool, sitting beside him.

"Again, Zack, what are you doing here?" he asked, the tone of his voice clearly demanding to explain that immediately. Zack shrugged.

"Just passing by..."

"Are you normally passing by in your trunks?"

"OK, you've got me. I tracked you down."

Sephiroth gave him a short glare, leaning his head against the wall and closing his eyes. Zack sighed. The possibility of showing less joy about his visit was equalling zero. Zack listened to the loud breathing of his exhausted superior, giving him a contemplative look afterwards. He'd known by this time Sephiroth wasn't really a social type. But he hoped he wasn't so solitary he would actually get angry because of Zack's arrival.

As he studied his face he once again noticed the peculiar features of it. There was something strangely inhuman about them, intensified with the feeble glimmering light of the pool.

"Don't you want to take a picture?" Sephiroth asked, annoyed.

"Since when can you see through your eye-lids?" Zack asked and when Sephiroth didn't answer he remarked: "I guess you don't like sunbathing..."

Sephiroth opened his eyes, filled with ice, and Zack rather let the topic be.

"Are you angry I came?" he asked him straight away, tired of this tip-toeing. Sephiroth turned his head at him and Zack just couldn't say if he were or were not. But Sephiroth told him himself after a while.

"No... But you are the first one to be here."

"Yeah, I got it," Zack said, partially relieved. "I was the same when I wore my swimming trunks for the first time."

"Shut up," Sephiroth said with a small pout.

"Don't you wanna swim a few pools with me?"

"No..."

Zack stooped his shoulders.

"Not now," Sephiroth added then. When he rested enough they both went back to the water. Zack didn't remember he would ever say the word "race" or "competition" but when he was scrambling out after the twentieth circuit Sephiroth had already been waiting back on the bench.

"I thought you were drowning at one point," he said.

"Very funny," Zack said, shaking off water in his hair.

"I don't wanna ask why you didn't try to save me then."

Sephiroth smirked slightly.

"I thought it would hurt your pride."

Zack grimaced at him.

"I'm not so proud to be stupid."

"But that sentence certainly was," Sephiroth said and Zack paused, pointing a finger at him.

"You tell me how it's possible you're so fucking fast! I bet there's a propeller installed somewhere on you."

Zack had no idea how he ended up back in the pool but suddenly he heard a loud splash and the water closed above him. He breathed in some water and when he surfaced like a cork, Sephiroth was standing on the edge of the pool with his arms crossed on his chest. Zack smiled at him.

"You're so charming..."

Sephiroth's eyes flashed but Zack could spot a spark of amusement in his eyes. That was quite rare to see. Zack looked at him and scratched his head.

"Will you pick me up next time you go swimming?"

"I swim alone."

"Oh..."

"If you don't mind..." Sephiroth added and Zack shook his head.

"I'm fine with that."

"Very well," Sephiroth said. "But it will be forty pools next time."

Zack grinned.

"I know you wanna devastate me but you aren't gonna scare me off. So far."

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes slightly, raising a corner of his mouth in a smirk. They returned to the changing room, Zack almost running to catch up with him. Sephiroth was ahead of him, like in everything he was doing, and by the time Zack was putting on his socks, Sephiroth had already been leaving the changing room fully clothed.

"Wait for me, Seph!" Zack said. "I don't know why you're still in such a hurry... Afraid to miss _Ladies' night_?"

That obviously had some effect for Sephiroth stopped at the door, waiting. Zack finished his clothing and they left together. Zack was trying to get water out of his ear on the way back, jumping on one leg.

"You up to something?" he asked.

"Not particularly."

"Don't you wanna watch some movie or something? I know it sucks as a Saturday night plan but I have nothing better. Oh, and don't worry, we wouldn't watch _Ladies' night_."

As Zack also knew, Sephiroth hadn't been used to watching movies just for fun - let alone watching movies at all - but he gave it a try nevertheless. Sephiroth's expected reaction was a look of mistrust, such as he was giving him at the moment.

"What did I say?" Zack asked.

"Nothing," Sephiroth said, looking away. "I don't feel like watching a movie tonight. Maybe some other time."

"OK... So what about - "

"Whatever it is, the answer is no," Sephiroth said and Zack paused with wonder. Despite Sephiroth still wasn't truly anxious to spend time with him or anxious about agreeing on Zack's suggestions what to do, the tone of his voice was strangely refusing this time. Almost like_ too_ refusing.

"I thought you had nothing to do."

Sephiroth didn't answer. They were walking through the long corridor connecting two buildings in silence. Suddenly Sephiroth stopped, leaning against the wall with one hand, covering his mouth with the other.

"What's wrong?" Zack asked, worried. He caught his arm. Sephiroth woke up with that touch, pushing Zack away.

"Nothing," he said, continuing walking. But Zack weren't about to ignore it.

"What was that?" he asked him again.

"I said, nothing," Sephiroth replied.

"And I'm a fried chicken," Zack muttered sarcastically. "Why the hell you think I'm gonna buy that _nothing_ crap?"

Sephiroth's face seemed paler than usual but his eyes were hard still the same.

"It's not your business," Sephiroth said, his voice rejecting. Zack reached him, touching his shoulder. Sephiroth shoved his arm aside harshly, giving him a cold-eyed look with warning in the green orbs. Zack backed off.

"Seph, are you gonna beat me up because I asked?"

Sephiroth's face immediately easied, the older man clearly recalling the event in his apartment a few weeks ago.

"No..."

"So tell me what the fuck is wrong with you. Where've you been?"

Zack understood.

"In the labs?"

The glare Sephiroth was giving him was like a nod. He started walking and Zack followed in silence. Although Sephiroth had never told him, Zack would have to be completely stupid, blind and deaf to not notice something fishy between Sephiroth and the scientific department. What were they doing to him? One would say Sephiroth would prefer spending some time with relaxing but he rather exhausted himself with swimming for who knows how long...

They got to Zack's apartment and Sephiroth uttered his good-bye, planning on going home. Zack dared to stop him once again by grabbing his arm.

"Zack," Sephiroth warned him. But the threat was bland this time.

"Come in for a while," Zack said. "I'll make you some tea or something. If I'll remember how, though. Oh, c'mon, you can leave any time. There's even an emergency ladder on the balcony. And I just wanna show you a new sofa I bought. It's absolutely horrible and I love it."

Sephiroth hesitated. At one point Zack was sure he would say no, but then he agreed on staying for a while. Zack couldn't believe it but he pulled himself together, preparing the tea. He found Sephiroth sitting in the living room, staring at nothing. He coughed, making Sephiroth turn after him.

"So... how do you like what I've done with this apartment?" Zack asked, realizing it was the second time Sephiroth visited him, including the one minute long first visit he payed to tell him the upcoming training course was unavoidable and that he couldn't just skip it to play racquetball instead.

"Very interesting," Sephiroth said, looking at the disparate furniture, carpets and paintings.

"Yeah, means very crappy, I see," Zack said, smirking, placing the hot cup of tea on the table. They stayed silent for a few minutes, Sephiroth focusing on stirring his tea. Zack was thinking, considering and deciding if asking him was a good thing or not. He took a sip of his tea then, giving Sephiroth a side look.

"What did they do to you in the labs?"

He found odd Sephiroth wasn't surprised with that question. It looked almost like he'd been expecting it. He watched him with deliberation and then Zack could see the exact moment he decided to tell him the truth.

"I didn't ask.

"Why not?"

"No point..." he murmured, more to himself. "And he wouldn't say..."

Zack wasn't taking his eyes off him, not sure what to say when Sephiroth practically forbade him to ask such questions and he never answered them.

Wait.. _He?_

"Who do you mean?"

"Hojo," Sephiroth said. "He is the head of the scientific department."

An image of his face sparked in Zack's mind. Yes, he heard this name in connection to Sephiroth pretty often. Sephiroth took another sip of his tea, shaking his head, his eyes returning to their normal, collected state.

"Leave it be," he said.

"We can't just leave it be," Zack disagreed. "We must do something. That bastard can't continue like that."

"Don't concern yourself with that."

"Like hell I will," Zack said, getting angry. He had this urge to shake Sephiroth's shoulders to clear his mind.

"I can take care of this," Sephiroth said, his tone convinced.

"Of course," Zack said, "but this is different. Or you think it's normal?"

"Stop."

"But - "

"I handle it well," Sephiroth said. Zack still couldn't grasp the fact he sounded so calm and his confused expression made Sephiroth look at him less hard.

"I don't want to speak of it," Sephiroth said. "I don't even know why I told you..."

Zack shook his head.

"It's good you told me."

"Why are you so sure?" Sephiroth muttered.

"Well... You're not alone in that, right?"

Sephiroth looked doubtfully but for a brief moment Zack could see the reflection of the years he _had_ been alone, before Sephiroth's mask of impassivity returned. His superior took the cup into both his hands, leaning against the sofa's back-rest and closing his eyes once again.

"Just don't speak of it any more," he said.

"If you want..." Zack said and Sephiroth nodded.

"And Zack..."

Zack looked at him.

"Yes?"

"Thanks for the tea."

Zack smiled at him, even if Sephiroth couldn't see.

* * *

_OK, hope you liked this one:-)_

_**Next:**__ Something from Seph's POV, I guess..._


	9. Justice

"Sir..."

Someone touched him on the shoulder.

"Sir, wake up..."

Sephiroth woke up, grabbing the arm that was shaking him and meeting the scared eyes of Margot.

"Sorry, sir," she said after he released her.

"I thought... You should perhaps go home. You look awful..."

She widened her eyes.

"..._ly_ tired," she added. Sephiroth sighed, sending her away. It was true. He attended his regular week treatment the day before yesterday and this time Hojo supervised it personally. That never meant anything good. Ever since that he hadn't felt well and was strangely drowsy.

He decided to go and rest. Despite he was used to work till the last bit of his strength, he had to admit this time - it was different. His state even prevented him from working at all when he fell asleep on the highly important reports as a pillow. He barely said something to Margot's good bye and headed to his apartment. Almost mechanically he put the TV on to listen to the news.

When he heard about a young man arrested for some swindle, he remembered the evening he went to pick up someone from prison as well. And someone highly unlikely...

* * *

Zack weren't in the office that afternoon. Sephiroth waited a couple of hours, used to Zack's long oversleeping after some important match that he was - who knows why - tolerating, but when his delay reached three hours, he called him. Zack didn't pick it up. Sephiroth tried it a few more times before setting the phone on his desk, thinking. He called Margot in.

"Yes, sir?"

"If anyone calls, I'm too busy, understand?"

"Very well, sir," she said and Sephiroth quickly left the office, walking to Zack's apartment. It had been a month since Zack told him his door-lock code. Although Sephiroth didn't do it as well in return, he somehow appreciated Zack's trust. Typing the code he went inside, calling his name. But the apartment was empty. Messy, yes, but empty. Now Sephiroth was worried. He knew Zack wasn't the most responsible worker but he wouldn't just not come to work and sleep outside his flat.

Sephiroth searched Zack's bedside table, looking for a phone numbers book. He remembered some names of Zack's good friends he went clubbing with and kept talking about and phoned one of them. Judging by his voice he still was pretty drunk but he at least knew about the place where Zack had been last seen. Sephiroth called Margot to find him the number of the club and phoned there afterwards. The manager picked it up, his voice annoyed and tired. Fortunately he remembered him by Sephiroth's description.

"Oh yes, the spiky boy! He got into some fight or something, smashed tree chairs and broke five glasses. He was taken by the police."

"Where?"

"The nearest police station," the manager said and gave him the address.

Sephiroth hanged the phone, going to the garages for his car. He couldn't imagine a way Zack would get himself into trouble like that. He would never think of him being the fighting aggressive type. But at that moment he was more interested about Zack's health than his character.

The police station was small and not very well maintained. When he walked inside and checked at the reception, the bald-headed officer there looked like having a heart failure after looking at his face. So Sephiroth rather let him be, going to look for somebody else. In the main office he found the commander, a small bearded man in his fifties, who flew from his desk right to him, all that in one fluent movement.

"General Sephiroth! What a pleasure! I would never imagine... such honour... What can I do you for? Er... What can I_ do for you_?"

"You should have my second-in-command here. Zack Fair is his name," Sephiroth said.

"Oh..."

The man stared at him with a sort of uneasy look.

"So... he really is Zack Fair?"

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow.

"Take me to him, _now_," he said in a commanding tone. The man obeyed without further question, he only kept babbling about some clerical mistakes or something but Sephiroth didn't pay attention to him. He could hear crying and shouting of other detained people, the sound echoing in the corridors. They stopped in front of the detention room and the man unlocked it with his card. Sephiroth looked inside. In the corner of the room someone was sitting on a dirty cot, his head bowed, hugging his knees. The man raised his head.

"Seph?"

"Zack," Sephiroth said with relief.

"We're really sorry," the chief officer murmured with fear.

"You should be," Sephiroth said coldly, gesturing Zack to get up.

"We're leaving," he said and Zack followed him with his eyes on the ground.

"You're free, mister. Sorry for the misunderstanding!" the officer shouted after him.

"Yeah, yeah, like I care..." Zack muttered, his voice completely worn out. When they got out and walked over Sephiroth's car, the older man looked Zack up and down closely. He wasn't expecting him to look so horribly. He was bruised, with dried blood on his face, a black eye and his clothes were ragged and dirty. Also - he didn't exactly smell of roses.

But he made no comment on his visage and opened the car door. Zack slid right on the seat, burying his head in his jacket. They drove in silence for some time before Sephiroth asked: "So?"

Zack didn't even look at him.

"So nothing. Just a shitty fucking night."

"Tell me, Zack," Sephiroth said, his voice stern. Zack sighed heavily.

"OK... But you'll think I'm a stupid asshole. Well, you probably think it already so it doesn't matter... Been drinking with my friend, some guy started insulting me really bad but I didn't care and was doing my business when he suddenly smashed a chair against me. So we fought for some time and then somebody called the cops and they arrested me instead of him."

Zack shook his head.

"I tried to tell them how it was but that guy and his friends kept repeating I'd started it and that I'm a Shinra pet who always weasels out or something and the stupid cops believed them. And I forgot my ID card so I couldn't prove who I am. They thought I was just some drunken private."

Zack finished the story, looking blindly out of the window. Suddenly he asked: "You angry?"

Sephiroth was sure he'd been angry. Very angry.

"Sorry," Zack added with guilt. Sephiroth turned at him, stopping at red lights.

"What are you sorry for? I'm not angry with you."

Zack raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"No. So don't apologize."

"I really thought you were angry with me."

"Why would I be?"

"Well..." Zack didn't finish his sentence and Sephiroth went on.

"How did you find me?"

"I called some people."

"Oh..."

They were back in Shinra garages. Sephiroth got out of his car, walking to Zack's door and opening them, helping him out. He kept his eyes on him all the way.

"Go and have a shower," Sephiroth said, recalling it was the second time he told him that.

"After that you'll need to have that cleaned," he added when they reached Zack's apartment and Zack was sitting on his bed, carefully touching his head. He looked up at him, ready to disagree, but he was obviously so ruined he didn't say a word and went to the bathroom as he was told. Sephiroth used that time to put all the clothes thrown carelessly on Zack's bed aside, making it inhabitable, and he also opened one of the windows to let in fresh air.

When Zack returned, wearing his pyjama trousers, Sephiroth had a perfect view at all the dark blue spots on his body. A stab of concern went through his chest.

"Sit down," he said and brought Zack's first-aid kit, starting his "cleaning." Zack was beaten really badly. He had countless bruises and scratches on his face and body and his left eye was so swollen he couldn't open it.

"I just hope you don't have concussion."

"Nah, not so lucky... Just a bad case of hangover," Zack murmured. He had his healthy eye half-closed and there wasn't the usual light there. Sephiroth was finished with his face, continuing with a deep wound on his elbow. Zack let him do what he considered right and Sephiroth wondered how odd it was for him to touch him like that. Maybe it was odd just because he hadn't do it before. But... to tell the truth... it wasn't a bad feeling. He liked the fact he was doing something to help him.

"Right, done," Sephiroth said. "It will heal soon. You have a day off for that."

"No way. Can't let you alone, you would work yourself to death."

"Stay home," Sephiroth said, knowing Zack was too exhausted to fight and he would see it in different light tomorrow morning. So Zack just growled something, falling over his bed.

"Go home, Seph," he said then. "You don't have to bore yourself here."

"I will judge that myself," Sephiroth said. He put a glass of water on his bed-side table and Zack thanked, looking at him from the covers.

"Thanks for picking me up," he said. Sephiroth only nodded.

"And sorry for being such a pain in the ass."

Sephiroth hesitated for a while. He assured himself Zack had everything he needed and now it was his time to go. Unless... he had something to say... Which... he didn't...

"It was so fucking unfair!" Zack exploded all of the sudden, sitting up on his bed, cutting Sephiroth's thoughts.

"I didn't do anything! Was merely self-defence! And I was keeping it down pretty much!"

He angrily punched the mattress.

"And they just made that crap up and they believed them. Nobody cared what I was saying..."

Zack laid down again, with his forehead frowned and his hands clenched into fists.

"Putting me into that stinky cage... Like I was the greatest filth of the world."

Zack closed his eyes, his face strained.

"I'm sorry," Sephiroth said.

"I know... But it really wasn't my fault. So why the hell did they arrest me? Because they knew I was a Shinra boy?"

"Probably yes."

"But why?"

"Envy... or anger... Not everybody worships Shinra. And they didn't know about your rank."

"Huh... I can't believe it really happened," Zack said in a dull voice.

"Sometimes it happens, Zack. You should deal with it like that."

"Yeah, life's not fair, sure, but this time, it happened to_ me. _And me alone_."_

"It'll get better, Zack," Sephiroth said, not planning on telling him to stop complaining. After a night like that, he maybe had a right to complain.

Zack smirked at him.

"I wouldn't say you're so kind," he said, like he would realize it just then. That statement caught Sephiroth off guard and he didn't know what to say.

"Don't worry, I know..." Zack said. Sephiroth watched him. Did he know? Did he really know? Did he know it was the first time he treated someone like that? The first time he actually was really worried about him? The first time he felt the pain and discomfort somebody else's, not only his own?

"I appreciate you took care of me like that. Mum wouldn't do it better. Oh... don't tell her."

"That's nothing."

"You're so humble it stinks," Zack said, adding an apologetic smile immediately.

"Hey, and it's not so bad if you have someone to take you out of the crap, right?"

"I hope it won't happen again. I'm not your security."

"Too bad! You'd be an awesome security guy. With your elegant way of making people scared shitless. But now I know one important thing!"

"Which is?"

"I beat their asses! If I didn't, suicide would be the only option," Zack said, shifting in his bed more comfortably. He groaned with pain while trying to put the cover over himself and Sephiroth approached, doing it himself. Zack thanked, letting out a long, tired sigh.

"Will you check on me tomorrow?" he wanted to know.

"If you wish."

"I do," he grinned wearily. "Need someone to pity me, ya know."

"I'll come then. Sleep well."

"You too. And thanks, Seph. Won't forget that. You're a real friend, ya know..."

* * *

_Chap 9 done! Hope you liked! Review, please:))_

_**Next:** Something form Zack's POV again:-)_


	10. Watering the Flowers

**Chapter ten: Watering the Flowers**

"Zack, turn the volume down!"

Zack shook his head, doing what his father asked him to. He wasn't the only one who disliked his music, especially loud like that.

* * *

"I really can't understand you can stand this... noise," Sephiroth said one evening, as he walked into Zack's apartment where the younger man was cooking in the sounds of his favourite band.

"You're back?" Zack said with surprise, too busy to save the beans and steak before they would vaporize. Sephiroth had been out of town and was supposed to come back the day after tomorrow.

"I'm here only for one night," Sephiroth said. "I needed to arrange something in Midgar."

"Yeah, so the fucking pig told you to come back, right?"

The fucking pig was the president and Sephiroth's silence was like a yes for Zack.

"Turn it off, Seph," he said and Sephiroth gladly obeyed.

"I want to see them next Saturday," Zack said. "Wanna go with me? You'd love it!"

Sephiroth only gave in some inarticulate mocking sound.

"You can cook?" he asked then. Zack shrugged.

"Yep... Sometimes it doesn't poison me. Wanna some?"

"No."

Sephiroth was leaning against the wall of his kitchen, his arms crossed on his chest.

"I've come to tell you my official arrival is delayed again."

Zack was about to note Sephiroth's arrivals had always been delayed, and he also wanted him back for being alone in the office was fucking annoying, but he realized Sephiroth obviously hadn't been happy about it himself, so there was no point in talking about it.

"Thanks for telling me," he said only, aware Sephiroth didn't visit him in his apartment very often.

"Really nothing?" he said then, waving with the steak in front of Sepiroth's eyes. The older man shook his head, walking closer and taking a piece of onion off Zack's shoulder.

"I'm not hungry," he said, looking around Zack's messed kitchen, his eyes weary. As Zack usually correctly assumed, Sephiroth didn't want to spend the whole night alone and then leave the town and be alone again, but he wouldn't feel comfortable here in is apartment. Then again, he would never admit it. Sometimes Zack wondered how Sephiroth was complicated, but he was improving his knowledge about him every day.

"Hey, can we go to your place?" he suggested with his plate full of dinner. "You have much more channels than me."

"Don't get the impression I'd allow you watch _Wild nights_."

"Why?" Zack said with his mouth full. "It's so touching!"

"I can imagine the parts of your body it touches..." Sephiroth muttered and Zack stared at him with his eyebrows disappeared in his hair. What did he just say?

As they entered Sephiroth's mighty apartment, Zack shivered. It was really cold there. He soon understood why, as every window was wide open.

"It's like in a giant freezer here," he muttered. Sephiroth started closing the windows.

"I always open them when I leave for more than a day," Sephiroth said. "The air is horrible otherwise."

Zack helped him close the windows.

"Get a housekeeper," he suggested. Sephiroth shot him an ironic look.

"No, thanks," he said. "I wouldn't want to come home and find half of my things gone, seeing them the next day sold in an auction."

Zack grinned.

"Then get yourself a blind and deaf housekeeper."

"Very funny," Sephiroth said, leaving the bedroom. Zack slowly walked back to the living room and seated himself over the sofa. He knew Sephiroth possibly wouldn't stand someone with free access to his home, not even considering being alone there.

"Everything went well?" he asked, noticing Sephiroth stayed suspiciously long in his workroom.

"More or less..." he answered, going back and taking off his gloves.

"Which means what?"

"Fine..." Sephiroth said. "Everything went well."

"Good..." Zack said, patting the place on the sofa next to him. Sephiroth didn't protest. He turned the heater on and sat down beside him. Although he wasn't fully used to Zack's presence here yet, he stopped being so careful and alert when Zack was there, he even allowed him to do things like eating on his sofa.

"What the fuck is that?!" Zack said, almost suffocating with a bean. Sephiroth held some documents in his hand, ready to start working.

"What the hell did you pull it out from? Your sleeve? Is it some trick or something?"

Sephiroth barely paid him attention.

"I have to finish it this - "

"Whatever it is, Seph, you don't _have to_ finish it tonight!"

"Nobody else can do it for me," Sephiroth said.

"I could."

"No, you couldn't," Sephiroth said, groping for the buckle of his armour to take it off. Zack put his plate away.

"Let me do that..."

As he reached him, Sephiroth stiffened and moved further, almost unwillingly, like it was some kind of a habit of his. Zack ignored it, since he knew Sephiroth had always acted like that when he get physically too close to him. He continued, undoing the straps and taking the armour down with Sephiroth watching him.

"You've never told me it's so heavy."

"Why would I do that?" Sephiroth asked silently, pressing fingers against his right temple. If Zack told him he had migraine, Sephiroth would never admit it, even if Zack gave him a written proof. As Zack was thinking, Sephiroth started working on the documents.

"So you weren't kidding? OK, you know what migraine is?"

Sephiroth merely grunted.

"You listening to me?"

"Yes..." he said absently. "Go on."

Zack breathed in deeply. Damn you, Sephiroth, you're such a mule sometimes!

"Been just saying it's perfectly fine to have migraine."

"Migraine?"

Sephiroth frowned.

"It'll pass," he said, turning the white pages.

"So you won't do anything."

"Like what?"

"My mum has some great tips, ya know. And there's nobody else who'd need it more than you right now. You look like a metal fan on the tenth day of a festival."

Despite the deadly look Sephiroth gave him, Zack slowly pushed the documents away from him.

"First thing is to lay down," he said, aware of Sephiroth's increasing irritation. But he told himself to hold on. If he knew Sephiroth at least a little bit, he would give up after awhile, as he usually did when Zack was pestering him. The thing was to risk it over and over again.

"I must write these till morning," Sephiroth said. "And no, nobody else can do it."

"OK, I'll read it and you'll be telling me what to write."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. He didn't say anything, though, thinking it over for some time. Then he waved his hand dismissively, letting Zack do what he wanted. Zack switched all lights off except one little lamp on the table. Meanwhile Sephiroth shifted on the sofa, laying down and closing his eyes. Zack took the papers and started writing down what Sephiroth told him. They spent almost three hours like that. Before midnight Zack made two cups of tea for them, rubbing his eyes. He felt twenty years older.

He handed the papers to Sephiroth.

"Thank you," his superior said.

"You're welcome," Zack replied, taking a sip of the tea. "We can do it like that when you'll need it. I could also ventilate here when you're gone, right? Watering the flowers and so..."

Sephiroth didn't open his eyes, looking quite relaxed at the moment.

"I don't have any flowers."

"No prob, will get you some."

Sephiroth remained silent but opened his eyes to look at him. Zack didn't really expect him rejoicing over this idea, so he patiently waited.

"I won't sell your things to the auction. Maybe just a few of them. You won't even notice."

It seemed like eternity Sephiroth was looking at him with his green eyes hard. Hadn't he trusted him yet?

"Can I be sure," Sephiroth said quietly but with his voice stern, "you will keep the code for yourself and yourself only?"

Zack raised an arm, giving him the most convincing expression he was capable of.

Sephiroth hesitated for a few more seconds. He sighed then and told him the code. Zack repeated it at least five times in his head till he was sure he'd memorized it.

"Thanks," he said. "I'm really glad you trust me so."

Sephiroth didn't reply, obviously still questioning his decision. Now it was on Zack to prove him he'd done right. And he was about to do his best. It wasn't just about the code. This meant awful lot to Zack. It was the first really big sign Sephiroth was trusting him - basically letting him come here any time he wished. Zack almost couldn't believe it.

"So you're gonna go the bed, I guess."

"I'm leaving in half and hour. There's no point."

"What has actually happened there?" Zack asked, for he knew very little about Sephiroth's mission in Wutai. Although he told him something, he kept the rest secret.

"Rebels ambushed a few camps. They've killed over twenty soldiers already. They've even attacked my camp," Sephiroth said. Zack looked at him closely.

"Were you wounded?"

"Why do you think so?"

"You keep wincing and shifting like your back hurt you."

"It's just..." Sephiroth touched his right shoulder blade. "Nothing, just bad sleeping."

"So you_ do_ sleep..." Zack remarked ironically. They were chatting till Sephiroth had to leave again. Zack watched him preparing. He was a bit worried about him, albeit he knew Sephiroth had very well been capable of taking care of himself. But there were times, like that night when he could see him laying tired on his sofa, he was much more aware of Sephiroth's vulnerable side.

"Be careful," he said when they were parting. Sephiroth surprisingly didn't smirk or scoff him. He evidently detected the seriousness in Zack's voice. He gave him a look that somehow softened.

"I will."

* * *

_Another addition, hope you liked this one. Let me know again:))_

_**Next:** Seph's POV, of course._


	11. Reception

**Chapter eleven: Reception**

Sephiroth was standing in front of his mirror, dressing up for the annual reception. He used to like them when he was younger, or better - he didn't mind them so much as he did now - but that was due to the fact he actually believed in what he was saying to all the reporters and journalists.

As he didn't believe in it any more and found himself telling them lies just to have it the easier way, those receptions became more than unpleasant.

Zack had the same opinion, but a completely different way of coping.

* * *

"Hya! You ready? We must go, Seph, or we're gonna miss all the fun!"

Zack stormed into the apartment, making Sephiroth question his code reveal again.

"What kind of fun?" he asked, not moving away from his wardrobe, where he'd been trying to find a suit for the last thirty minutes.

"Ya know, all the jerks gathered at one place... I have the feeling it'll be good."

Zack peeked into Sephiroth's bedroom and Sephiroth looked at him with disbelief. He was wearing a _green_ suit with a _yellow_ tie. Sephiroth blinked, just to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. Zack strutted into his room, flopping himself onto his bed.

"Hope they'll have beer," he said. "Or Max will kill me. I told him to come with the boys because there's free beer."

Sephiroth assumed this Max was one of Zack's friends, fond of spending enormous amounts of time with sitting in the clubs and swaggering about who was able to drink more alcohol.

"Prepare they may not be allowed to attend if they don't have invitations."

"Oh, they do..." Zack said in a low voice. Sephiroth didn't quite like the sound of his voice, especially together with the look on his face.

"Care to explain?"

"Let's just say I have some connections..."

"You mean black market?" Sephiroth asked and Zack laughed heartily.

"Yeah... Something like that," he said, getting up and giving a brief glare into Sephiroth's wardrobe.

"Wear this one and let's go," Zack said, grabbing the first suit he laid a hand upon. Sephiroth shook his head but eventually agreed with Zack's choice - after the younger man left his bedroom, of course.

A couple of hours later Sephiroth was sitting at a table, drinking a glass of wine and looking at all the chatting people, with Zack disappearing somewhere with his 'boys,' already in a state of high intoxication. The reception was opened by an opera singer, followed with traditional dances and Sephiroth quite enjoyed that. He even started to believe no journalists would spot him this time.

"Oh, here you are, general," he heard the voice of Eaton, the most annoying journalist of all time. Thin, with pointy nose and small eyes, he looked like a mouse-centipede cross-breed. Eaton always twisted all that Sephiroth said. But he paid a lot of money to Shinra for having the privilege to interview him.

And as it'd been tactfully said to Sephiroth, he had to cooperate. Nothing could do a better public verdict than a moving, totally made up article.

"That's a great coincidence we've bumped to each other," Eaton said, sitting down at Sephiroth's table.

"I thought we could use the time to some questions..."

Eaton took his notebook out of his suit. Sephiroth watched him, having the urge to stuff it up his throat.

"Let's get started, shall we? I thought - since the day of children is coming - you could share some information about your childhood. People would really appreciate it. It seems that this period of your life is quite a gap..."

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes. Even if he wanted to tell him - which by all means he did not - he couldn't. No personal details, especially considering his growing up in Shinra labs.

"I'm sorry to tell you -"

"Ha, there you are, Seph! Been looking for ya all over!"

Zack appeared out of nowhere, landing on a chair and throwing an arm around Sephiroth's shoulders. The sound of Eaton's dropping jaw was almost audible.

"Seems like you're really enjoying yourself," Zack noted with irony. He'd noticed Eaton.

"Hey, that's a journalist, great! What do ya wanna know?"

"Who are you?" Eaton asked, puzzled.

"Huh? I'm Seph's second-in-command, of course," Zack said, leaning closer to Sephiroth and insisting to take a picture of them, to which Eaton gladly obeyed, blinding Sephiroth with the flashing.

"Zack, stop or -"

"Do you know each other well?" Eaton asked and Zack nodded, giving Sephiroth a wide smile.

"Yeah, we're war buddies, ya know. I know Seph since he was this little," Zack lowered his palm to the ground. "He's a great man, really. He can sing, he can cook, he even has a pet spider he calls Lorenzo... So as I said, a great lad. Except the times he wants to kill me, but hey, nobody's perfect!"

Zack waved his arm.

"And I'm no angel either, once I burned my desk away when I experimented with a materia... But that was probably because I was so drunk..."

Zack shook his head.

"Oh man, you've never seen someone so drunk. And poor garbage can. That stench lasted for ages!"

Zack grabbed Sephiroth's shoulder.

"But Seph's been a real friend, he just punched me in the face, saying to get the fuck out before he'd cut my head off!"

Zack pointed a finger at Eaton.

"Take more pictures, man! We look gorgeous. Don't you think Seph's silver tie goes greatly with his hair? He sure knows how to dress!"

Eaton was opening his mouth wider and wider, taking hundreds of pictures and Sephiroth was shielding his sight from the flashes, ready to full-fill Zack's words to cut his head off for real.

"OK, we're gonna go, have a nice evening, boy," Zack said, patting Eaton on the shoulder and turning with Sephiroth, walking away. Sephiroth let himself to be taken out of the hall, but just to kill Zack in seclusion. They got outside and went down the pavement for a while. Sephiroth was so angry he couldn't even speak, he just felt the tension in his body.

"What was that?" Sephiroth finally made himself speak. Zack shrugged.

"It doesn't matter what you tell them, they always write some crap, right?"

Sephiroth couldn't believe Zack was really that stupid. As he wanted to strangle him earlier, now he would rather place him into a mental hospital.

"Hey, hope you're not angry," Zack said. Sephiroth raised his eyebrows.

"Angry?" he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Why would I be? Just because saying I threaten you with cutting your head off on regular basis? Or because I'm sure Eaton wouldn't mention it in his next article?"

Zack smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah..."

"I was right. You're insane."

"Thanks," Zack said, amused. "Why do you even care what that idiot's gonna write about you? Why not make some fun of it. Imagine how all the Shinra boneheads will look when they read it!"

Sephiroth imagined it, and he didn't like it. He felt his anger fading away, though. Which actually surprised him. He thought he would have a heart attack just because of how furious he was. Looking down at Zack, who seemed perfectly fine with what he'd done, he somehow couldn't stay angry anymore.

"That reception fucking sucks," Zack muttered. "I had to bring my own beer and the wine tastes like shit. Let's go somewhere else."

Zack gave him a look.

"You look so good in this suit, it would be a waste of such a good-looking guy."

Sephiroth sighed.

"You have a serious case of incredible blathering disorder."

Zack laughed.

"Yeah, but you'll deal with it, lad!"

"Don't!" Sephiroth said, raising his head and meeting his eyes. "Don't call me like that. Ever again."

"OK, Seph. Now let's go, I know about a great place. And it's midnight, everybody's drunk, I swear they won't recognize you."

Sephiroth wasn't exactly sure why he'd agreed, but soon he was sitting at a small table in Zack's favourite club, drinking beer and breathing in the acrid cigarette air. Zack gladly took his green jacket off, letting out a long sigh. Sephiroth watched him deliberately, thinking about his unusual behaviour he still wasn't used to, and how much their characters were different. He could never do what Zack had done a while ago. Never. And at the moment, he almost regretted it, because he knew Zack wasn't troubling his mind with the unnecessary. He didn't bother himself with how others perceive him.

But Sephiroth did. He knew the reason was probably the fact he'd been watched since he'd been born. Not only by the scientists, but by the city as well. And Sephiroth couldn't stand the thought of being humiliated. Especially in public, with the whole city to see. That was why he would never be able to make fun out of himself. And he was envious of Zack, who had no problem with it.

And another reason for creating his public image like this was, that he was afraid revealing something more would cause all the people to find out what he was really like. The true Sephiroth. No, he could never allow that happen. He hated the man inside... At the times like this, he asked himself again what was it Zack liked about his company. He saw himself as an unfunny, cold bore, an absolute opposite of Zack.

"Hey Seph, stop looking like this," Zack said. "I think you need another beer!"

Sephiroth sighed. He rather let it go and focused on Zack's problem with his stupid ring-tone. One thing he knew for sure. He grew to like Zack's trivial babbling. But he would never tell him.

* * *

"Seph! Seph!"

Zack's screaming was approaching the office and Zack burst inside, panting. Sephiroth felt a stab of fear.

"What's happening?"

"The article's out! And it's wonderful, absolutely wonderful. Here!"

Zack handed him the newspaper and Sephiroth looked down at the centrefold, that featured several pictures from the reception. Obviously the worst ones.

"Drunken pandemonium," Sephiroth read, looking up at Zack who continued giggling.

"Go on, go on," he urged him.

"The latest reception revealed the scandalous truth about Shinra's greatest warrior. Behind the mask of a collected, quiet man is the heart of a raging madman who doesn't hesitate to use his sword against his employees. However, the fact his second-in-command is a homosexual, insane lunatic who likes doing experiments on himself and loves blowing himself up doesn't help either."

"Don't you just love it?" Zack chirped. "Insane lunatic! Means double crazy! But homosexual? Would you believe they thought I was homosexual just because of the green suit?"

"Yes," Sephiroth said, ignoring Zack's hurt expression. He wasn't about to read the rest, he just shook his head slowly.

"They've made a psychopath out of me," he stated.

"Yeah..." Zack said, getting up. "Wanna coffee?"

* * *

_OK, a bit less serious, but I was in the mood. Hope you liked and again, let me know what you think. Thanks! _


	12. Guardian

**Chapter twelve: Guardian**

It'd been only a few seconds and Zack knew he'd already met the worst person in Shinra for sure. The scientist known as Hojo, whose reputation included both "great achievements" and "sheer insanity." Zack wasn't aware about any achievements that lunatic would be responsible for, but he gladly agreed on the other part.

Zack went for his monthly mako injection, happy to get it over with, as he really hated the labs for their stench, the white colour, the silence and the scary atmosphere supported by people wearing white cloaks and drapes. He honestly couldn't imagine somebody could work there, let alone live there.

He was surprised when this man shuffled in. Hojo was the head of the department and Zack had his doubts he would inject ordinary mako injections to soldiers. No, there definitely was a reason behind it.

"Zack Fair, what a pleasant surprise," he said with his high pitched voice.

"So you've found some time?"

Hojo evidently knew about the cases Zack somehow forgot to come.

"Yep, can't miss it," Zack said cheerfully, but he remained careful inside. The man was everything but trustworthy. The yellow oily skin and hair and piercing eyes spoke clearly.

"You look a bit anxious," the scientist said, but Zack shook his head. To tell the truth, though, he really wasn't much happy about being with him alone.

"I'm feeling great."

"Are you always so optimistic?"

"Most of the time..."

Hojo was preparing the injection, standing with his back to him.

"I've heard you go quite well with Sephiroth," he remarked casually but Zack knew at the exact moment this was the main reason Hojo was there.

"And?"

The scientist turned at him, holding the syringe in his right hand. He seemed pretty menacing like that.

"Sephiroth means a lot to me," Hojo started and Zack raised an eyebrow.

"He cost me much time, money and effort," he continued and Zack started frowning with anger.

"I helped him to be what he is now. Therefore, I want you to tell me about him right now, mister Fair. What is his behaviour during the last days?"

"What? You think I'll tell you? Go fuck yourself."

Hojo smirked with amusement and approached with the syringe.

"How witty," he murmured. "We'll see how long it'll last."

Hojo lowered the syringe above Zack's forearm. Before he could do anything, the door opened and Sephiroth walked inside. He overlooked the room with one glare, understanding the situation immediately.

"Zack," he said then. "Get up, we're leaving."

"I haven't given him the mako yet," Hojo objected, but Sephiroth shook his head.

"He'll come some other time," he said. "Did you hear me, Zack? Get up."

Zack didn't need to be reminded twice, jumping up and following him outside. He could still feel the wrathful glare of Hojo, even if he closed the door behind them.

"Did he give you anything?" was the first thing Sephiroth wanted to know. When Zack shook his head, he seemed relieved. They walked in silence till they left the labs and Zack looked up at Sephiroth, noticing his superior looked more than pissed.

"Seph?"

He merely gave him a look.

"What's wrong?" Zack asked. "How did you find me?"

"You told me yesterday about the mako treatment," Sephiroth explained. "And when I went there three days ago, Hojo was speaking about you."

"So...?"

"So I realized he would want to do it himself."

Zack looked ahead.

"Is he really so nut? He wouldn't kill me, would he?"

"No," Sephiroth said, quietly. "But with him, you can never say. You may believe he doesn't have what it takes to actually kill someone, but..."

Sephiroth fell silent, a dark shadow crossing his pale skin, his eyes distancing with memories Zack maybe even didn't want to know.

"I'm sure..." he said then, more to himself, "he's killed many since he's here. Shinra would always cover for him if anything was about to leak out."

"You're kidding," Zack said, having a horrified smile on his face. But Sephiroth didn't deny it.

"But who? Don't tell me these people wouldn't be missed by somebody! And where on earth would he get them anyway?"

Sephiroth lowered his voice as they were going through the corridors into the residential wing.

"Prisoners, hobos, orphans... When you have something like Shinra standing behind you, your possibilities are limitless. He gets what he wants."

Sephiroth looked at Zack.

"And he's dangerous, Zack," he said. "Don't irritate him. He has means how to pay back. Don't get involved into anything considering him."

With the serious, grave tone, Zack felt lightly frightened, although he believed he would simply skin Hojo alive, he didn't like the image of Hojo's minions breaking into his apartment during the night, drugging him and taking down to the labs forever.

"OK, so now I'm scared," Zack said, almost unwittingly walking with Sephiroth to his superior's apartment. As Sephiroth was clearly still distracted with thoughts about Hojo, Zack had the same problem. He sat down on the sofa next to Sephiroth.

"Did he say something to you?" Sephiroth wanted to know and Zack told him about Hojo's request.

"What did you tell him?"

"Well... I told him to go fuck himself."

"What?" Sephiroth said, obviously angry.

"That's exactly the thing I've been talking about. Don't provoke him."

"Hey, I didn't know he's such a psycho!" Zack said, nervous. "And sorry, but I'm not gonna rat on you. What did you think, that I should give him a list of your daily habits?"

Sephiroth looked away and Zack started shaking his head.

"Oh, no. No, don't even start that it's your fault or that you put me in danger or any other shit like that! It's not true, it's crap. Don't you think like that, Seph, or I'm gonna be really mad. It's him who's responsible, not you! And I'm not gonna stop talking to you just because of such a dickhead like him."

Sephiroth didn't say anything, rubbing his eyes. Zack patted his shoulder with concern.

"And what about you? You interrupted his show. Won't he be angry with you?"

Sephiroth grunted silently.

"Angry with me? It doesn't matter if he's angry with me or not, it makes no difference at all."

Zack listened with an uneasy feeling. Suddenly he got the feeling this was maybe the right time to give him that question.

"You've been raised down in the labs, haven't you?"

Sephiroth nodded. So it was true.

"And your parents?"

"Nothing," he replied. "I don't know anything. Not even the exact date of my birth. But I'm sure even if Hojo knew, he would never tell me."

"Why?" Zack said, confused. He just couldn't understand it. Sephiroth sighed.

"Because that's what he's like. The more he knows and you don't, the better feeling about himself he has."

Zack was silent for a while, thinking about how to kill Hojo in the most painful way, thinking about how Sephiroth had to hate him for all these things. He was honestly curious why Sephiroth hadn't killed him earlier.

"I think he's in a need for a proper ass kicking."

Sephiroth snorted.

"You can dream about it."

"You bet I will," Zack assured him. But he didn't want to discus this any more. And he didn't want Sephiroth to trouble his mind because of it either.

"Now, don't you think about this any more. I'm sick of him already. But I know what we'll do... Pizza! C'mon, Seph, get up, get up! I've noticed you're somehow skinnier than before so I must make sure you eat properly."

As Sephiroth was considering Zack's suggestion during the time the younger man spoke, his eyes pierced him sharply after the last words.

"I beg your pardon?"

Zack grinned.

"I said you're skinny."

Sephiroth stood up, looking at himself in the glass door of his cabinet. Zack leaned aside, meeting his stare in the glass and smiling even wider.

"Gotcha! Now let's go, and I'll have them make a double-double cheese one for you."

Sephiroth watched him dressing up and putting on his shoes, a thoughtful look on his face. But Zack could tell his worries had already faded away a bit. Before they left the apartment, Sephiroth slowly shook his head with a ghost of an amused smirk.

"What?" Zack asked. "Thinking about how wonderful and great I am?"

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow.

"Of course. I wonder whether I should bow down every time you come into the room."

"Nah, let's pretend I'm normal."

"I doubt that's possible," Sephiroth murmured and Zack followed him outside with a wide smile on his face. He knew Sephiroth was relieved Zack didn't mind Hojo's menace. But Hojo, even with all the threatening he could do, was nothing Zack would care about compared to Sephiroth. So there really wasn't much to think of.

* * *

_That's it, hope you liked! I thought - as Sephiroth knows what's Hojo like - the thought of him doing mako treatment on Zack could make him more than unhappy, knowing the man's dangerous and can't be trusted. And as for Zack, he wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut only to "not irritate" Hojo. _

_Let me know what you think and enjoy!_


	13. Somebody Home

**Chapter thirteen: Somebody Home**

It was Saturday night and Sephiroth entered his apartment, turning on the lights immediately and throwing his jacket over the sofa. He'd just returned from a two-day long meeting in Wutai and he wished for nothing more but his bed. As soon as he walked into the living room, he could feel the strange smell of absence and void. The last time he could sense it had already been a long time ago.

And he remembered the first time it was different very clearly.

* * *

After a week out of town, Sephiroth made his way back to his apartment, not looking forward to the empty rooms much. He was leading some negotiations in Wuitai and it didn't go very well. Although his requests were met in the end, the means he had to resort to were more than strict.

Sephiroth wasn't much of a political type. He didn't believe there were politicians who would actually care about people. Sephiroth, although he had troubles admitting it, didn't in fact understand the nature of people bonds. Under every gesture of affection or love he accidentally witnessed with strangers, he saw only the desire to gain something from the other.

He opened the door and walked inside, prepared for cold air, silence and dark. At the first moment he was sure he had walked into a wrong apartment. The lights were on, he heard the television and the air was warm. He looked down and saw his boots, which assured him it was his apartment indeed.

He went into the living room, his eyes falling on nobody else but Zack Fair, comfortably seated in his big armchair, apparently dozing off during TV commercials. Sephiroth realized, with an odd feeling, he was glad and relieved to see him. Almost like a burden fell off his shoulders.

Sephiroth hesitated before touching his shoulder lightly.

"Zack?"

Zack woke up, looking up at him.

"Seph!"

Zack jumped up, embracing him in a brief, intense hug. Sephiroth managed only to open his eyes wide and Zack had already been back at his place.

"I'm glad you're home! The stupid TV's shit. Thought I'd be alone in the office again, was driving me mad. How was the way? Bet the diplomats were a bunch of dickheads, right? You look awful, by the way."

Sephiroth didn't deny it.

"Hello to you too, Zack," he said only. Zack smirked.

"Sit down," he recommended and Sephiroth obeyed, settling on his sofa. He had a moment to notice the apartment was cleaned, no layers of dirt visible. Not only that, he could even see a few flowerpots with plants Zack had evidently bought.

Soon enough Zack appeared with two beers, putting one can in front of Sephiroth on the table.

"Here's your beer and chips," Zack turned the TV off, "and I've took care of all the reports and other pieces of our office I found here, so you can't work anyhow tonight."

Sephiroth gave him a side look, wondering if Zack didn't have anything better to do on a Saturday night than waiting for him to come back. As Sephiroth came to realize, Zack was a very popular person - and Sephiroth could imagine the reasons _why_ quite vividly - therefore he had numerous friends that would call him several times a day, that he would meet in the canteens and coffee shops, or he wouldn't stop talking about.

Still, for a yet unknown reason, Zack chose to spend his Saturday alone in his apartment to greet him after his arrival.

"I presume you wanna know all the news," Zack said, opening the can. "So, there's no news at all. Everything's still the same and boring. Double boring when you weren't around. OK, now its your turn."

Sephiroth took a sip of the beer, considering once again he was growing to like this particular beverage - but only when Zack was around. And then he realized how pleasing it was to actually tell him. And Zack listened with interest and understanding till his last word.

"Gee, Seph. I didn't know you were a politician," Zack said ironically and Sephiroth returned him a smirk in the same style.

"It's part of my job, I guess," Sephiroth said.

"No, making me a cup of coffee during working time is a part of your job."

Sephiroth didn't comment on that but he had to admit he had way too many duties and way too little time. He himself was partly to blame since he used to welcome anything just to kill free time. But since he'd known Zack, he'd realized there were things how to spend it other than working and more working.

Suddenly Zack's phone rang. The younger man picked it up, raising an eyebrow.

"Max? What's up you stinky baboon...?"

Sephiroth snorted. He liked the way Zack treated his other friends, he found it amusing. Although he appreciated _he_ had never been called a stinky baboon.

"Really? You kidding me! I love them, they're great!"

Zack paused and Sephiroth listened to Max's excited babble.

"No... No, I can't come tonight," Zack said then, shaking his head. "I said I can't, don't play stupid! Well... I have something important here, ya know. My friend arrived tonight, haven't seen him for ages... Ha, ha, don't cry. Will buy you a drink next Saturday, right? OK, see ya!"

Zack hanged the phone, throwing it on the table and taking his beer.

"I've bought you some plants, did you see?"

"Yes, thank you..."

Sephiroth hesitated before coughing a little.

"I wanted to... thank you, Zack. For taking care of my apartment... Is there something you want in return?"

Zack gave him a puzzled look. Sephiroth got the idea Zack maybe didn't believe everybody wanted something in return for doing another one a favour.

"No, Seph," he said, "I'm just glad you're back."

Sephiroth glared at him.

"Me too," he said, surprising himself with the fact. He didn't look forward to going home much. But this time, he could have said he was glad he was home. For the first time in his life he had someone waiting for him. Someone, who was genuinely looking forward to seeing him.

And he wanted nothing in return...

Sephiroth noticed Zack was watching him and he had a feeling the younger man could have a good hint about what was going on in his mind. Zack patted his arm. Sephiroth had already been getting used to this friendly touch.

"Wanna go for lunch tomorrow? To celebrate you're back, ya know."

Sephiroth nodded.

"But I'm buying this time," he said. Zack raised an eyebrow.

"Of course you are. That's how I meant it!"

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes, pushing Zack away. He felt a bemused smirk spreading over his lips.

"Behave yourself, baboon."

Zack widened his eyes and started laughing afterwards. Sephiroth enjoyed the fact he made Zack laugh so much, but somewhere deep in his mind he knew he would never say such a thing if he didn't know Zack. It was obvious. The younger man spoiled his good manners.

Well, to tell the truth, Sephiroth honestly didn't mind.

* * *

_OK, hope you liked this one:-)_


	14. Ladies

**Chapter fifteen: Ladies**

"Seph, look at this, please..."

Zack's serious, concerned voice raised Sephiroth's curiosity, and he leaned forward to glare at Zack's worried face.

"What am I looking at?"

"Do I have pimples?"

Sephiroth withdrew.

"What?"

"I'm serious. Do I?"

"Yes. You're one big pimple. Now if you excuse me, I need to work and not bother myself with your trivial problems."

Zack smirked, taking a pocket mirror and looking at himself. Sephiroth shook his head.

"What is it? Miss Midgar was a month ago."

"Very funny. I have a date today and I must be perfect."

"I see... That's why you're wearing the t-shirt _I'm myself's master_?"

"Yeah... Think it would establish I'm no dope."

"Of course. It'll establish you're a complete idiot."

"What?"

Zack gave him a look.

"You serious?"

Sephiroth nodded, amused with the conversation.

"I dare to believe women don't like dandies. If you want a shirt suitable for you, why don't you try something like_ I'll do anything for a pizza_."

"Hey!"

Zack paused.

"That doesn't sound so bad... OK, so I won't wear it if you think so..."

Zack coughed then.

"And there's one more thing... er... or rather two things... OK, I'll start with the easier one. My date has a little sister who's your big admirer and she asked me to ask you if you could kindly give her an autograph...?"

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow but waved his hand.

"No problem."

"Thanks. I know how you hate giving autographs. It must be hard to hide you can't write."

"Zack..."

Zack couldn't stop giggling, but Sephiroth wasn't really angry. He knew Zack had been pushing the boundaries ever since they'd met. Once again he'd realized he'd let him go further than he would ever think.

"And the other thing?"

"Well... That's not so funny. You know what date it is?"

"Yes, it's the tenth."

"Yep. Two days till the pay-day..."

Sephiroth got his hint. He could also see the shame in Zack's face and he didn't want him to be ashamed just because of something like money.

"Here," he said, giving him his credit card.

"Use it wisely, though. There's a day limit."

Zack started shaking his head but Sephiroth said: "Take it before I change my mind."

"Do you trust me so much?"

"I guess so," Sephiroth smirked. "But I also know where you live."

"Thanks," Zack said. "I really appreciate it."

"That's fine. Enjoy yourself."

Zack seated himself over Sephiroth's desk, a thing the older man found quite annoying, and gave him a long look, another annoying thing.

"Yes?"

"It's just got to me... Have you ever had a girl?"

Sephiroth had to admit he was surprised with the question. For the first second he didn't even know what to say. He shook his head.

"I don't want to discus this matter, Zack."

"C'mon, we're friends. So have you?"

"Leave it."

"Don't tell me you haven't. I mean, you're so gorgeous you could have just anyone."

Sephiroth glared at him.

"If you are trying to date me, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but you have too many pimples."

Zack laughed briefly but didn't drop the subject.

"So?"

"So what?"

"What about you and the ladies?"

"Nothing interesting. Let it be, Zack."

Sephiroth used his more dangerous tone and Zack got it, backing off. They continued working without returning to the subject, but Sephiroth was thinking about it anyway. Of course he'd been musing about this before. But he so didn't like the answer he rather pushed it away. However he knew it was only a matter of time when Zack would ask him. For it was a natural thing to do for all people. To date. To go out. To make love...

That evening Sephiroth was sitting on his sofa, reading a book and drinking a glass of red wine Zack bought him a few days ago, because _"he_ _was the red wine type who wouldn't admit it."_

He heard his door opening but didn't raise his head. There was only one person who could that be.

"So how was the date?" he asked, still glaring into the book.

"Quite... pleasing..." Zack said, walking over him and sitting beside him. Sephiroth could feel female perfume from him.

"We were on dinner, went to see a movie and the icing on the cake - I got to her apartment."

Sephiroth looked at him, noticing a smile spreading over his lips.

"And she was good, I can say that!" Zack said, obviously happy. "We agreed it was a one night thing but hey, if I ever meet her again, I won't be against a second night!"

"I'm happy for you," Sephiroth said, hoping Zack wouldn't want to discus it for he had nothing to ad to that matter.

"Seph, we didn't finish the conversation from earlier. Have you had a girl or not?"

Sephiroth sighed with annoyance.

"I told you to let it be."

But Zack was smarter than he looked.

"So you haven't. OK... I'll find you someone. Will make a list tomorrow."

"Don't even start with this, Zack," Sephiroth said, making it clear he wasn't about to allow him to do this. Zack was watching him thoughtfully and Sephiroth didn't like the look.

"Why?" Zack asked, genuine curiosity in his voice. Sephiroth shook his head, but no words would come to his mind. He put the book aside, looking at the carpet, deep in thoughts, deliberating whether to tell him or not.

"I don't know..." he uttered, surprising himself with actually saying that aloud. "I just... I think I..."

_I don't have the ability to accept and return such kind of love... _

"I've never loved anyone in my life," Sephiroth said, silently. He raised his head, meeting the concerned eyes of his friend. How come he always had the feeling Zack understood him, somehow. Despite he lived so differently. Sephiroth had a question to ask, an important question, but he was unsure about saying it...

"In that case, I think you just haven't met someone worth it yet," Zack said, almost like he knew the question anyway. "It doesn't mean you're weird. And I certainly don't think you couldn't find someone to love. Unless you're a robot."

Sephiroth ignored the remark and sank back into thoughts, but was woken up quickly, with Zack's arm patting him.

"Seph?"

"Huh?"

"What about refilling your glass?"

"Go on," Sephiroth agreed, watching him. His question was answered and he liked the answer Zack had given to him. He used to think he wasn't capable of love, that it was simply something there was no place in his heart for. But he thought the same about caring for someone, and then he met Zack and had to change his opinion.

Actually, he had to change his opinion of many things since he'd met Zack. And he was glad to do it.


	15. Angel

**Chapter fourteen: Angel**

Zack was panting, pressing himself against the wall and staring desperately into the darkness. He didn't see a thing and all he heard was buzzing silence. Where the hell was he? What was happening to him?

_"Strap him down..."_

He looked around, frantically, but soon enough he realized that voice was only in his head. He moved slowly along the wall, trying to reach for anything to hold on to.

_"He mustn't escape!"_

Zack rubbed his eyes, breathing deeply. Suddenly light glimmer above him and he looked up, noticing a strip light on the ceiling. It filled the corridor with sterile whiteness and Zack found out - with a painful feeling in his guts - he was in the labs.

_"Hunt him down!"_

Somebody was chasing him! Zack started running at that moment, but the corridor seemed endless and there were no doors heart was racing and he felt dizzy. Finally he saw a blue metal door at the end of the corridor. He reached for the handle, storming inside and closing the door behind him. He narrowed his eyes. What was this place?

It was a laboratory, but a really huge one. There were big barrels along the walls, filled with light green liquid. And what was the worst, there were humans inside of them, floating lifelessly, covered in tubes. Zack gulped. He wanted to get out of this place, as soon as possible. How come he didn't remember anything? How did he get here?

And then he saw him. Right in front of him, somebody was standing. Tall and white as snow. He was wearing black robes, setting off the inhuman paleness of his skin. It got dark then, only the figure was still vivid. A shadow formed behind it, a shadow clearly resembling a big wide wing. Zack stared at it, taking a few steps further.

An angel...

At that moment Zack gasped. That couldn't be... It was a... mirror. He was looking at himself!

"Zack..."

Zack half-opened his eyes. The angel had still been there, bowing above him and shaking his shoulders. His long hair was tickling his face.

"An angel?"

"What? Stop making jokes, Zack."

Zack shook his head. He grasped the situation, realizing it was his own bedroom and he was in his bed. And it was Sephiroth next to him, trying to wake him up.

"Seph... What happened? What are you doing here? What's the time?"

"It's Monday and you had mako yesterday, don't you remember? I think you've been given way too much of it, considering you haven't showed up in the office."

Zack blinked.

"I overslept?"

"Again," Sephiroth nodded. "But at least this time you have an understandable excuse. Not like all the excuses before."

"OK..."

Zack sat up, rubbing his forehead. He could feel the well known mako exhaustion. He heard Sephiroth walking away, returning with a glass of water and a pill.

"Take this," he said. He was wearing a white shirt and dark trousers, clothes he usually wore in the office and while Zack was reaching for the glass, he murmured: "Did I let you work alone again?"

"Not exactly. I went here right after you didn't come."

"A day off for both of us? Good. I should get mako sickness more often."

"I said quit joking," Sephiroth repeated and Zack muttered "yeah, yeah, yeah," before taking the pill.

"So..." Sephiroth said silently, sitting into Zack's armchair, looking straight at him, "what were you dreaming of?"

"Nothing..."

"Zack. I heard you clearly. You were saying something about laboratories and... an angel, I think..."

Zack shot him a glare.

"Right... But you won't like it."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow.

"Go on..."

"Yesterday, when I went to get mako, I... accidentally bumped into Hojo. Hey, don't be mad! I went away after that... Well... sort of... before I somehow started following him into his office."

Sephiroth's expression was like made of stone.

"Tell me you didn't go inside."

Zack gave him a sheepish smile.

"No... and yes..."

Sephiroth closed his eyes, his worst fears obviously came true.

"Sorry, Seph... I went there when he left and forgot to lock the door. But the point is I found something there. A certain document. It was labelled with a single letter. S. And I read it, I know I read it."

This time, Sephiroth's face changed completely and it almost scared Zack how strangely Sephiroth looked.

"What did you read there?" he asked, his voice gravely quiet and Zack felt cold shivering running on his back.

"That's it! I don't remember! I must have read it and then went for the mako and then, with the mako in my veins, I must have forgotten it!"

"Try it," Sephiroth urged him. "Try harder!"

Zack glared at him. So much desire in the few words. And in his green eyes. And he was about to fail him for he couldn't remember a single word.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered. Sephiroth's eyes filled with disapointment. He bowed his head, sighing.

"It does't matter," he uttered. "The main thing is you're all right."

"The dream," Zack remembered. "I think I dreamed about what I read."

Sephiroth met his glare and the desire was back.

"I believe that in the dream... I was you. I was running in a long corridor. There was a door at the end. A huge laboratory was behind it, with barrels containing... humans, I think."

Understanding ran through Sephiroth's eyes.

"It's the main Shinra laboratory. The most important one."

"Yeah... And you were there. With a black wing attached to your back."

"A wing?"

Sephiroth touched his right shoulder-blade unwittingly. Zack couldn't hold the curiosity down any more.

"It's nonsense," Sephiroth said, but he didn't sound very convinced.

"Not even Hojo would do such a thing..."

Zack wasn't so sure about that.

"I can look..."

Sephiroth hesitated, but started undoing his shirt buttons, taking it off and exposing his pale skin. Zack observed his back. There was nothing unusual, no bump... But yet... Maybe if the touched it... He reached his hand, touching his right shoulder-blade lightly. Sephiroth winced, moving away from him, putting the shirt back on.

"It's stupid," he said, his voice stern. "I have no wing. You just had a silly dream, that's all."

Zack didn't believe it. He was sure what he dreamed of was something he read in the document, and it was about Sephiroth. Did Sephiroth really have a wing inside of him? If he had been raised in the labs, and by the craziest man around, it wouldn't be so strange. More than that, there were plenty of other things, much worse things, Hojo could have done to him. Without his knowledge.

He looked at him. The unusual height, the ghostly paleness of his skin, the odd features of his face and not to forget the silver colour of his hair. He didn't know about any human looking like that.

A human... But what if Sephiroth weren't a human altogether...

"Zack," Sephiroth said and Zack woke up.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked. Zack was speechless. And Sephiroth knew what Zack was thinking about.

"Seph, I..."

But Sephiroth wasn't listening any more. He turned, walking away.

"Seph, wait!"

Zack ran after him and he managed to caught his arm before he would leave the apartment. What a fool he was! Hadn't he already known his past and all the lab thing was Sephiroth's most painful sore? But yet Zack was able to stare at him like he was a new animal species.

"I don't want to hear anything, take your hands off me."

"Not until you hear me out. Sorry. I didn't mean it that way. I... was stupid for staring like that but..."

Zack paused, seeing his words weren't having the needed effect at all. He breathed in deeply, feeling horrible. Sephiroth was hurt, evidently, but he had a good reason to be. If he were Sephiroth, he would be angry as well.

"Look... I just wanna tell you this. Even if that mutherfucker did that, even if you had a wing, I don't care. I don't care at all. Doesn't matter to me. And just by the way, if there's anyone who should be an angel, it's you. You would make the perfect angel, I'm sure."

Sephiroth was giving him a stern look, his eyes hard as ice. Zack's grin disappeared.

"OK, was a bad joke, but the rest is true. I don't care about anything Hojo could have done to you. It's still the same you. Nothing would ever change that."

Sephiroth's expression softened. He shook his head then.

"It's me who should apologize. I overacted. I'm aware of that."

"You did not. Was me who stared like an idiot."

Zack took a hold of Sephiroth's arm and the older man gave him a strange look. Could that be a hint of fear?

"Seph, listen to me," Zack said. "We're friends. You think I'd let someone so stupid and ugly like Hojo change that? You said he's capable of many things, but he certainly can't do that. Be sure about it, OK?"

Zack squeezed his arm and Sephiroth gave him a small smile. Zack returned it, realizing it might have been the first time he'd actually seen him smile like that.

"Hey..." he said, his smile getting wider. "I like you when you smile. You don't look so homicidal."

Sephiroth's smile changed into a smirk.

"Stop teasing, Zack," he said, but the actual anger had already been gone.

"As you wish! But don't get me wrong," Zack remarked. "When I'm saying I don't care what he could have done to you, it doesn't mean I wouldn't mind. I still wanna skin that mutherfucker alive."

Sephiroth snorted, mildly amused.

"That makes two of us."


End file.
